IN the North edge of the Pro­vince Sect. [...]. of Ulster in Ireland, on The Descriptiion of the place. the borders of Tirconnell, Fer­mannagh, & Donegall, there is invironed with a marvailous great waste of bogs and moun­taines, a certaine Lough, as they tearme it, or Lake of a great compasse called Lough-Derge; a place famous, and celebrated by the pennes of many at home and abroad, as that which encloseth and compasseth within it, that, which is of greatest observa­tion and use, I say not onely in this Kingdome of Ireland, [Page 2] but, if reports be true, in the whole world beside, of which▪ I [...] [...] discourse, S. Patricks [...].

It [...] this Purga [...], that tedious [...] concerning the name of Lough-Derge; As that neare that Lake, in the shin-bone of one that had been murthered, there was bred a Serpent, which did grow to an incredible greatnesse: for [...]o must we beleeve, if it did (as they say it did) swallow downe 2410. men at once. That the Serpent being slaine, and his bloud run­ning into the Lake, the complexion of the water was changed, and continued Red for 48. houres; That hence it was, that from Lough- [...]n, or the White-logh, by which it was before knowne, it was after called, as now it is, Lough-Derge, or the Red-Logh. For confirming where­of, that there may not want something besides the bare name; among other Reliques, there did remaine ready to be shewed a great Knotty bone, said to be one of the least joints of that Serpents Tayle. A fable I confesse not wor­thy to take place in a serious discourse, did I not finde it sutable to those relations, we are hereafter to meet withall in our treating of this Subject, they being, I doubt not, as true, and I assure my selfe no lesse strange and monstrous than this is.

Within this Lake there are many small Islands, but two of especiall note above the rest.

The one is called the Island of S. Avoge or Abheoge, wherein that Saint is said to be buried, Divi Abheogi sepulchro ve­nerabilis. Phil. [...] Sullev. Patri [...]. Decad. lib. 9. cap. 9. or the Island of S. Fintanus, as others would have it. Roth. de pur­gatorie S. Pa­tric. apud Tho­mam Messin­ghamum de pur­gator. S. Patric. cap. 2. pag. 95. num. 23. In which Island, Est conven­tus Canonicorum Regularium S. Augustini, Subjectus quidum [...] & Monaste­rio Apostorum Petri & Pauli ejusdem ordinis in civitate A [...]chan a sito: sed ta­men qui in ipso [...] Monachorum est P [...]aefectus, honoratur Titulo Prioris Purga­torij, ex his monat his [...] inter [...] vicibus, solent duo semper commorari in in­sulâ Purgatorij, con [...] ill in tanquam Pa [...]es spitituales ad adventantes expiandi se gratia suspiciendos & instruendos. Pet. [...]d. Hibern. de regno Hibern. cap. 20. there is seated a Convent of Cannons Regular of the or­der of Saint Augustine, subject to the Abbot and Mona­stery of the Apostles Peter and Paul, scituate in the Citti [...] [Page 3] of Ardmagh: yet he who within the Lake is chiefe of the Monks, is honoured with the Title of Prior of the Purga­torie: of these Monks by turnes, two are continually resident in the Island of Purgatory, to be there for the entertaining and directing of such Pilgrimes, as doe come thither to be purged. This is that which is called Iusula d [...]moniaca. for so we sometimes finde it, into which S. Patrick is said to pursue those evill Spirits, which he had driven from the mountaine Chruan in Connaught, yet did they possesse one part of this Island, Phil. [...] Sull. Pat [...]. decad. liv. 9. cap. 9. fol. 110. of which Nicholas Harpsfeldius out of Giraldus Cambrenfis, thus; Esse tradit in [...]toniâ insu­lam quandam lacu quodam insignem, cujus altera pars a­spectu pusthra, jucunda (que) sit, celebissque ob frequentiam Angelorum & Sanctorum ibi apparentium: nec minùs hor­rendam alte­ram, & à daemo­rubus infestā; qui se ibi saepè visibiles offe­runt. Nich. Harpsfeld. Ar­chid. Cantuar. Histor. Angl. eccles. edit▪ [...] ­aci ann. [...]. in sex primis saeculis cap. 25. de Patric. &c. He (Giraldus) reporteth that in Vlster there is a famous Island in a certaine Lake, the one part whereof is pleasant and delightfull, and much spoken of in respect of Angels and Saints there frequenting and appearing: the other part thereof being no lesse terri­ble, as haunted with Devils, which are there often seene, The truth whereof I leave to the Authors.

But there is nothing that doth make this place so fa­mous, as another Island, not farre from this, being some­thing lesse than a mile, as may be supposed from the shore, which by reason of the Cave that is in it (of which so much is spoken) is knowne by the name of S. Patricks Purgatory. It is altogether rockie from the one end of it to the other; exactly levell it cannot be said, and yet not very uneven: no one part thereof being much higher than another. The Figure of it is Oblong, extending it selfe from South to North; unto which, the nearer it run­neth, the narrower it groweth: It doth containe about halfe an Irish acre and eleven perches, in all 41. perches and one halfe in circuit, each perch being 25. f [...]t; for thus was it exactly surveyed by that truely Honourable, the Lord Dillon, Le. B [...] of Kilkenny West, in whose presence it was [...] asured by Anthony Lipset, whom for that purpose I brought with me into the Island, and whom I accompanied into the Cave, and the rest of the places that were measured, saith he The [...]o. Dillons description of S. Patrick's Purgatory, anno 1632. The Mappe whereof, as it was then made, have I here unto pre [...], acknowledging my self here in bound [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4] to that Noble Lord, and his Lordships sonne Sir Iames Dillon Knight, both curiously inquisitive in this; whose observations have been imparted unto me.

Without the compasse of this Island, and within the wa­ter toward the North-east of the land, about two yards from the shore, doe stand certaine Rocks or Stones, di­stant from each other, whereof two are of especiall use in this pilgrimage; The one which is the least and next the shore, is that whereon, they say, S. Patrick was wont to kneele one third part of the night (as he did spend one other third part in the Cell, which they call his Bed, of which after: and the other third part in the Cave or Pur­gatorie) In this stone, there is a clift or print reported to be made by S. Patricks kneeling or standing thereupon; This, it may be, is that which Lumbard meaneth, (yet be­ing mis-informed, writing by heresay) he placing it within the Cave, Pet. Lumbard. u [...]i suprà. whereas indeed there is no such thing there.

The other Stone is much greater, further in the Lake, and covered with water, called Lackevanny; this is e­steemed to be of that singular vertue, that the onely stand­ing thereupon doth heale the sorenesse of the Pilgrimes feet occasioned by their going barefoote on sharpe Rocks and Stones.

The entrance into the Island (for there is but one, and that about the South-south-east point thereof) is narrow, rockie and rugged; this they report (for thereis no end of such reports) to be the g [...]ts of that great Serpent meta­morphised into stones, the walking bareroot on which, and the like places, is no small part of the penance which the pilgrimes undergoe.

In this Island there was a little Church dedicated to S. Patricke called Reglis, covered with shingles, and being within the walls 40. foot long, and nine foot broad; out of this on the South side, an Arch did give entrance into a small Chappell, being ten foot wide, and fifteen foot long, the walls of both being two foot and a halfe thicke.

[Page 5] In the North-side of the wall, there was a Stone where­on, it is said, S. Patrick was wont to rest himselfe, being of some use in this pilgrimage, as after.

When M. Coppinger, a gentleman purposely drawne thither with the fame of the place, did view it, the Church was thus furnished; M. Coppinger▪ discription of S. Patrlck's Pur­gatory. At the East end with an high Altar covered with linen, over which directly did hang the Image of our Lady with our Saviour in her armes; on the right hand did hang the picture of three Kings offering their pre­sents to our Saviour, and on the left hand, the picture of our Saviour on the Crosse; neare the Altar upon the South side, there did stand upon the ground an old worm▪ [...]. Image of S. Patricks; And behind the Altar on the end of the Stone­worke, another of the same fabricke, elder in shew cal­led S. Avioge or Avogh, or Yavock, (for I suppose them all one:) And on the right hand upon the Altar stood one like the former, called S. Uoluscius. But all these soone vanished, not being observed of any that since that time went to see the place.

On the North-side of the Church, and from it ten foot distant, appeared that, whence the Island hath the name, S. Patricks Cave, Pit or Purgatory, for by all these names it is knowne. There is another Purgatory bearing the same name, but differing from this, both in place and emi­nency, of which we shall have occasion hereafter to dis­course: But this, of which we now treat, is that which we finde every where so highly extolled, and to be above all the monuments of Ireland, and places of note Ex quibus celeberrimus & sanctissimus est qui Purga­torij S. Patricij locus appella­tur. Lumbard. ubi suprà. the most famous and holiest; But he that shall take notice of the face and complexion of it, shall finde nothing to be more despicable. The entrance thereinto was without any, or very little descending; the wall [...] thereof being built of or­dinary stone, the top covered with b [...]ad stone, and over­laid with earth, being over growne with grasse: It was two foot and one Iuch wide in most places, and three foot high, so that they are enforced to stoope that goe into it, the length was sixteene foot undone one halfe, whereof right [Page 6] forward twelve foot, and the reverse, or turning toward the Church, foure foot and one halfe; At the corner of the said turning there was a little Crevice, which as it served to convey a little (and that but a very little) light into the Cave, so served it for two other uses; the one, that Ut pater ac­cedat aliquo­ties ad r [...]nam quae est in spe­luncae latere, unde inclusos consolatur, praesertim si in­telligat quem­piam tentatio­one divexari: & in latere ex­igua quaedam rima est, juxta quam collocari solet qui ex in­gredientibus tenetur ad ho­ras canonicas recitandas Lumbard. ubi suprà. The spirituall Father resorting thither might comfort those who are shut in, especially, if he understand that any of them be troubled with any temptation. The other, that He might take his place there, who among them that are shut in, is ap­pointed to repeat the Canonicall houres.

Into this Cave, not promiscuously, but men by them­selves, and women by themselves, were admitted. The incapacity of which place, because it could not but hinder the dispatching of so many pilgrimes, was supplyed by the erecting of a second Cave, the one being for men, the other for women; And thus were they to be seen, when M. Coppinger was in the Island: But this Addition seemed too much to differ from the first Institution; Therefore soone after, for avoiding of offence, That, of the new erection, was taken away without being obser­served in the after descriptions; whereof many have come to mine hands. Neither doth M. Richard Ash take notice of any such thing (who was in that Island before M. Coppinger ibid quo suprà. M. Coppinger) he purposely going thither on his late Majesties command: yet in the relation given to me by Sir James Dillon, we find some provision intended for this inconvenience, as Sir James Dillon his di­scription of S. Patrick's Pur­gatory. That there should be many small Cottages built, that for such as with conveniency cannot enter in the Cave, these might serve the turne. But what effect this had taken, I doe not yet understand.

In this Island of S. Patricks Purgatory are not very ma­ny Trees, on one of which (being a Yow-tree) did hang a Bell, usually rung at their Solemnities; neither must it be imagined there being so few of them, and they in so holie a place, they could be there without a miracle. It is there­fore fancied, that the yow-tree had been of long standing, but being out downe by some wicked person, and cast in­to [Page 7] the fire, part thereof was by a devout man snatehed out, and new set, which is that now extant. But this seemeth to be lately done, it not being above ten foot high, and about the thicknesse of a mans legge, which might happen by being too much scorcht with the fire; neither are the rest of any great growth.

Between the Church and the Cave there is a small ri­sing of ground, and an heape of Stones, with a little stone-crosse, part broken, standing therein; and on the East-end of the Church there is another heape, on which there was another crosse made of twigs interwoven: This is known by the name of S. Patricks Altar, on which there doth lye three peeces of a Bell, which they say, S. Patrick used to carrie in his hand. Here also was laid a certaine Knotty­bone of some bignesse, hollow in the midst, like to the Nave of a wheele, out of which doe issue, as it were, naturall Spokes. This was shewed as a great rarity, being part (as some say) of that Serpents taile which we have before remembred. But others would rather have it be beleeved, In cujus eje­ctionis memo­riam ostendi solet in Insulâ nodus osseus, magnae molis dicitur (que) fru­stum Serpenti­ni ossis ex illo genimine vi­rulento quod Sanctus expu­lerat. D. Roth apud Th. Messingha­mum de Pur­gat. S. Patricij, cap. 2. num. 30. That this is part of one of those Serpents which S. Patrick expelled out of Ireland; in memory whereof this is usually shewed. But I leave them to beleeve either the one, or the other, as they shall finde occasion.

Toward the narrowest part of this Island, and West­ward from the Church, were six Circles (as some call them) from their figure, or Saints beds, or beds for pe­nance. These were Mansions (for so also are they termed) dedicated to some of the famous Irish-Saints; They were of Stone, and of a round building, being about three quar­ters of one yard high, having a dore or entrance into them; And these Cells are of severall capacities. That for Briget being ten foot over within the wals, Collum-Kille nine, Katharine mine, Patrick sixteen, Yavock (or Avogh) and Moloissny (or Blash) ten, these two last Avogh and Blash are placed in one Cell, and that also joyned to that other of S. Patricks. The fixt is that which is assigned to S. Blenyn, or (as I take it). Brenyn, or S. Brendan, which [Page 8] is ten foot over. To this S. Brendan, we reade a peculiar Purgatory to belong; of which M. Camden thus. Praeter hoc Patricij etiam aliud in hâc insulâ Brendani Purgatorium fuit, sed cum locum non invenerim, accipe quod solum inveni Nechami de illo Tetrasticon. Be­sides this of Patricks, there hath been another Purgatory of Bren­dan in this Island, he meaneth Ireland; But seeing I finde not the place, Take what I finde of it in this Tetrastick of Asserit esse locum sole [...]is fama dicatum, Brendano quo lux lucida saepe [...]icat; P [...]rg [...]ndas animas datur hic transire perignes ut dignâ facie judicis esse queant. Guil. Camden. descript. Hibern. edit. 1594. pag. 671. Nechams, which I reduce to this Di­sticke.

Which not to be meant, as if it were placed in this Island of S. Patricks Purgatory, whereof we now speake, as it is plaine out of Camdens owne words, he not knowing where to place it; So shall we find it in a different quar­ter of the Kingdome, if we beleeve Roth, a diligent wri­ter of this Subject, out of Radulphus. Est (que) ante omnia obser­vandum apud exteros scri­ptores reperiti mentionem du­plicis in Hiber­niâ Purgatorij: unum est S. Pa­tricij, quod in Aquilonari parte regni po­situm est; Al­terum S. Bren­dani quod in partibus occi­duis ejusdem regni Radul­phus haberi asserit. Roth. apud Tho. Mess. de Purgat. S. Patricij, cap. 1. pag. 91. num. 4. It is, saith he, to be in the first place observed, that amongst forraigne wri­ters there is mention made of two Purgatories in Ireland: one is S. Patricks in the Northerne part of the Kingdome; the other S. Brendans, which Radulphus saith, [...]s to be found in the Westerne parts of the same Kingdome. This, of these two Purgatories, together with what I shall after have occasion to adde of a third Purgatory, is to be observed, for avoiding ambiguitie I returne from whence I made this digression.

These Cells or Beds serve for a great part of their devo­tions, who resort to this Pilgrimage, about which, and in which, there are often pacings and kneelings; to which end they are compassed with sharpe stones and difficult passages for such as goe barefoot, as all must.

In the farthest part and Northward, there are in the Island where it is narrowest, certaine heapes of stones cast together, as Memorials for some that have elsewhere been buried: trusting by the prayers and merits of those who [Page 9] daily resort to this Purgatory to finde some release of their paines in the other Purgatory.

Lastly in the Island are severall Irish houses covered with thatch, and but lately built: together with a foun­dation for a building of lime and stone: And another house for shriving & confessing of those that come thither, which is on the left hand of the entrance into the Island. Among these, there are foure places assigned for receiving such as from the foure Provinces of Ireland, Leinster, Munster, Connaght & Vlster resorted thither.

Thus have we the perfect Description of this place, with all therein contained, as it did stand but little before the demolishing thereof; The Manner, Rites and Customes of this Pilgrimage offer themselves next to be consi­dered.

Wherein I shall follow those relations we finde set out Sect. 2. The manner of the Pilgri­mage. of it, in which no great choice is to be made: onely sup­plying out of the best and latest information that hath come to mine hand, what shall be found not so much omitted in the other, but (it may be) rather lately added: for in severall Ages it hath received much alteration, as wil appeare upon the comparing of them. Of the last kind, I esteeme most, of that discourse given to me by the Right Honourable the Lord Dillon: in the taking whereof his Lordship hath been most carefull. The order of which Pilgrimage, to use his owne words, The Lo. Dil­lons description of S. Patrick's Purgatorie. I had from the mouth of an Ancient native there, who said, he had been the guide and conductor of the Pilgrimes for many yeares; which I the rather credit, finding it to agree with what others have reported of it, in most things. I will then begin with what hath been of old herein ob­served.

Anciently, if any were desirous to enter into this Pur­gatory (as O Sullevan observeth, in the pilgrimage of [Page 10] The Spanish Uiscount, of which after.) ‘ Principio à Pontifice vel Episcopo in cujus finibus Purgatorium continetur, il­lud adeundi potestatem pe­tit. Solet An­tistes faculta­tem petenti au­sa primùm non levibus Argu­mentis dissua­dere rei peri­culum propo­nendo, preser­tim quod aliqui fuerint ingres­si, & nunquam regressi, si autē sentit hominé incoeptis con­stanter insiste­re, literas illi ad Praefectum Monasterij da­tas. Is autem cùm non mi­nùs ab incoe­ptis conatur a­vertere exorans ut aliâ potiùs susceptâ poenitentiâ peccata expiet. Sin illum à Sen­tentiâ non potest deterrere, in templum ductum precibus & poenitentiâ praescripto tempore facit incumbere; deinde curat [...]itimos sacerdotes convenire sacrum missae quod cum illo versu, Requiem aeternam dona ijs Dom ne, pro vitâ defunctis offertur cantu & solemnitate celebrari hominem viatico Sacrosancti corporis Domini refici, Aquâ sacrâ spargi, pompa Sacerdotum canentium Litanias, populi sequentis ad ostium Purgatorij adduci, ubi iterùm periculorum memoriam renovans, hominem rogat, ne intret, quem tamen si constantem reperit sanctissimae crucis signo manens (quod & reliqui Sacerdotes ad unum faciunt) apperto ostio intromitrit, & obsératis rursus fotibus orantem relinquit, postero die ad eandem horam rediens, si apertâ ja­nuâ hominem offendit, eàdem pompâ in Monasterium reducit, hospitio (que) exceptum retinet dum illi placet. Sin horâ solitâ in antro illum non convenit, animâ & cor­pore esse damnatum habet sibi persuasum. [...]. O Sull. hist. cathol. tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. First he must have leave so to doe of the Bishop in whose Diocese the Purgatorie did stand. The Bishop useth at first with weightie Arguments to disswade the adventurer, setting before him the danger; and that some have gone in thi­ther that never returned: But if he finde the man firme in his resolutions, he doth recommend him by letters to the overseer of the Purgatory. He also laboureth with the like earnestnesse to remove him, desiring him rather by some other penance to expiate his sinne. But if he be im­moveable, he leadeth him into the Church, and enjoyneth the performance of his penance and prayers, during the time prefixed. Then he calleth together the Priests ad­joyning, celebrating with singing and solemnitie that Masse, Requiem aeternam dona ijs Domine, usually said for the dead. The Pilgrim receiveth the Sacrament of the Lords Body: He is sprinkled with Holy water, the Priests in procession singing the Letany, and the people following to the dore of the Purgatory to which he is con­ducted; There againe being forewarned of his danger, he is intreated not to adventure: but if he be constant, he is signed with the holy crosse, which also all the Priests toge­ther doe, and the doore being opened he is let in, and there he is left shut up and praying: The next day returning at the same houre, if opening the doore the man be found, he [Page 11] is with the same solemnitie brought back to the Monaste­rie, where, while he pleaseth, he is entertained: But if at the usuall houre he be not found, thèn certaine it is that he is damned both body and soule; Si quando aliquid adversi accidat, tota religiosa soci­etas per inte­gros quinde­cim dies Seve­rà jejunitate corpora exte­nuant. Rich. Sta [...]hurst. de vit. S. Patric. lib. 2. pag. 73. and if any such disaster doe happen, the whole religious Society doe with strict fa­sting macerate their bodies for fifteene dayes together.’

Thus hath it been Anciently: by which it doth seeme that the Resort to this Purgatory was not then so fre­quent, and they that did come, were not so easily admit­ted: but by all (at the least seeming) meanes to be diver­ted: The contrary to both which is now practised, no place more frequented; and the more the welcommer, which being considered, and that there is much more stirre in these later pilgrimages than formerly had been, with an Addition of many more circumstances; it will be therefore necessarie to take a second view of the parti­culars.

The time in these later times appointed for this worke is the space of 9. dayes, wherein they doe prepare them­selves, and observe all the Ceremonies following:

First, the pilgrimes being examined and admitted, their first flight is into the Church, they being barefoot: and kneeling downe before the Altar, they doe say a Pater, Ave, and Credo, Sacros ob­eunt circuitus introrsum se­pties in ipso Templo, & ex­trorsum in coe­miterio. Roth. ubi supra, cap. 2. pag. 95. num. 25. and There they beginne their holy Cir­cuits seven times within the Church, and as oft in the Church-yard. At their comming out they kisse the Church-doore, so doe they the stone-crosse between the Church and the Cave; then Recipunt se ad mansiones paenosas seu le­ctos quos vo­cant, aut cellas poenitentiales Sanctorum quae in gyro sunt, singulas earum circum­gyrant septiès ab extra nudis pedibus, ab in­fra flexis ge­nibus. Ibid. They betake themselves into the Penitentiall mansion [...], Beds or Cells, as they call them, of the Saints, which are round, every of which they com­passe seven times, walking so many times without bare­foot, and going about as oft within on their knees. Next goe they into the water where the stone standeth, where­on S. Patrick was wont to kneele, which they compasse thrice, saying five Paters and Ave's, with one Credo: af­ter, to the other stone called Lackevanny, where they al­so say one Pater, Ave and Credo, of which stone and the [Page 12] vertue thereof it is said, Tot circuiti­onibus confe­ctis in aspersâ & plerumque rupicosâ semi­tâ, veniunt ad Lacum, & in marmore suba­quato plantas pedum laceras quando (que) sed semper lassas figunt, & uno minùs medio quadrante ho­rae, dum reci­tantorationem dominicam & Symbolum A­postolorum persentiscunt tantùm refri­gerij, & robo­ris ex subjecto pedibus lapide (in quo san­ctus Patricius ipse orasse di­citur, & vesti­gia pedum su­orum impressa reliquisse) ut parati essent è vestigio secun­dos circuitus facere, quod non licet ta­men nisi inter­posito aliquo temporis spatio. Ibid. That after all these goings about, and that for the most part in sharpe and rugged wayes, and comming to the Lake, they doe fixe there many times man­gled, but alwayes wearied feet, on the stone covered with water; where in lesse than one quarter of an houre, while they say the Lords Prayer and the Apostles Creed, they doe finde such a refreshing and strength by reason of the stone under their feet (on which S. Patrick himselfe was said to have prayed, and in it to have left the impression of his feet) that they doe finde themselves inabled to goe those stations againe: which yet they may not doe without sometime be­tween. After this they come out of the water and returne to the Church, where they say before the Altar, the Bedes of fifteene houres, called the Ladies Psalter: But here I had almost forgotten that which above all the rest, must not be forgotten: Sir. James Dillon's description of S. Patrick's Purgatorie. That provision must be made for the workes of Charitie, aswell as of Pietie; there are Altars to offer upon, there are Fryars to extend their benevolences unto; nay, and both in this Kingdome and elsewhere, there are Convents and Seminaries that must not be forgotten; by whose prayers a farre larger retribution and returne is expected. This order in their pilgrimage doe they observe thrice each day, at Morning, Noone and Evening, for seven dayes together: But Octavo die duplicant Stationes five circuitus; ut satisfaciant pro eodem & sequenti die quo ingrediendus erit puteus, ne (que) enim illo die putuano circumite nedùm qui­dem exire de speculo licet, Idem ibid. On the eight day they double their circuits, that they may satisfie for that and the next day in one; for then they are not to goe out of the Cave, much lesse to goe about as they were wont. But if Quod si magna esset multitudo concurren­tium peregrinorum, ut tam numerosus coetus commodiùs expediri possit, visitatio putei non affigitus ad certum & statum diem, sed pro arbitrio praefecti dispensatur. Idem ibid. cap. 2. num. 30. the number of Pilgrims be greater than can conveniently be di­spatched; in that case, no set-day is limitted for the going into the Cave, but it may be dispensed withall at the discre­tion of him who is the Chiefe.

[Page 13] And as nine dayes is the time commonly allotted for this worke; so are there nine persons set out, who according to the time of their comming thither, are to goe into the Cave together.

In all which time of their nine dayes pilgrimage, they eat but once in 24. (some say 48.) houres, Sir James Dillon's descri­ption of S. Pa­tricks Purga­torie. their diet being but oat-meale, or bread and water; yet have they liberty to refresh themselves with the water of the Lake, Est (que) ea isti­us aquae vis, ut quantum vis ex eâ te velis in­gurgitare, nul­lum indè gra­vamen senties, ac si à venâ metallicâ flu­erat. Roth. ibid. which also is said to be of that vertue, that although thou shouldest fill thy selfe therewith, yet would it not offend thee, but is as if it had flowed from some Minerall: And thus being tired, at night Recubant in foeno & strami­ne sine stragu­lo, pulvinari, culcitra nisi vel clamide se involvant, vel femoralia ca­piti obstipent. ibid. They lodge on hay or straw, without caddow, pil­low, or paslet, tumbling themselves in their mantles, or wrapping their heads in their breeches, or trowses, as they call them; their lodging is in one of the cottages before mentioned, Sir James Dillon's descri­ption of S. Pa­trick's Purga­torie. onely That some one night of the eight, they take up one of the Saints beds, such (I suppose) as they most fancie.

These eight dayes being thus spent in praying, fasting and Almesdeeds, they goe to be shriven, and doe confesse themselves on the evening of the said eight day, being readie the next morning early to goe into the Cave; when in imitation of the old custome, the priest laboureth to divert them from going forward; adding The Lo. Dillons description of S. Patrick's Purgatory. That al­ready two companies have been lost, that one more must be; and warneth them to take heed it doe not light on them: But they not being to be altered, towards the Purgatory or Cave they goe, Praeeunte vexillo crucis. Roth. ibid. With the Banner of the crosse carried be­fore them, together with other solemnities; so that it may well seeme to carrie the shew of some funerall pompe, neither indeed is it otherwise esteemed, for being Quasi in transitu ad a­lium orbem & è viâ ad termi­num properan­tes, in agonio positos cernere est gementes, suspirantes, veniam & pacem offerentes omnibus, & precantes sibi ignoscentes toti mundo quicquid in se deliquisset cum singultu, fletu, lachrym is, pleri (que) subeunt speluncam & occluso de foris ostio, rece­dunt qui comitabantur furtus. ibid. As it were a passage to another world, and leaving this, in what Agonie doe they goe, groaning and sighing, desiring for­givenesse, and forgiving all that have offended them, in [Page 14] which manner for the most part they goe into the Cave, with sighing, weeping, and teares; and the doores being shut with­out, they that waited on the funerall returne, saith Roth, whom, as the most exact I could finde in this part, have I followed.

Thus with some sprinkling of holy water are our Pil­grimes shut up for twentie and foure houres without any repast, or cr [...] of comfort other than Undè inclusis consolatur presertim si in­telligat ex ijs quempiam ten­tatione divex­ [...]i. Lumbard. [...] Supra. some few good words given at the Crevice (before spoken off) through which, the Priest doth sometimes comfort them, if he finde any of them to be troubled with Temptations: but among themselves not a word, Illic [...] inter­dictum collo­quium quod [...]l propter hoc mors traditur irrogari. Phil. O Sull. hist. Ca­tholic. Hibe [...]. [...]. tom. 1. lib. 2. for conference is prohibited, while they are in the cave. This alone being reported to bring pre­sent death with it, least perhaps there might be some dis­coverie of the Imposture.

Lastly, when the 24. houres are expired, for now are we come to the last Act, They Revisuntur à praefecto per­egrinantium & deducuntur ad marginem sta­gni ubi se im­mergunt aquis lacustribus, & hâc lustrati ex­piatione veluti novi milites Christi è bal­neo poeniten­tiae renati pur­gati (que) progre­diuntur ad ec­clesiam ubi pro more actis Deo gratijs pro ex­pletâ poenitu­dine renovan­tur ad militiam Christianam intrepidè prosequendam, & ad crucem Christi gene­rosè portandum. Roth. ibid. are revisited by the overseer of the pilgrimes, by whom they are brought to the water-side. where they duck themselves over head in that water, by which expiation being purged as new Souldiers of Christ, and by the hath of repentance being borne againe, they goe into the Church, where according to the custome, they give God thanks for the ending of their penance, being thereby re­nued to goe forward boldly in their Christian warfare, and couragiously to carrie the Crosse of Christ. And thus is this great work finished.

A Pilgrimage certainely of very great solemnitie and exceeding strictnesse; so that I can easily be induced to credit him, who telleth us how troublesome it is: for Quae si fiat in aestate, quis nesciat quam penosa sit [...]e­clusio tam arcta, tam obscura, tam diuturna, ab aestu solis de foris, & ab intrò estu­aute habitu se mutuo constipantium, & suffumigantium in speluncâ; Sin in H [...]eme fiat quam difficilis sit immersio in aquam, ut immergas ad poenitentiam. Et quocun (que) tempore demùm fiat, quam dura sit discalceatio, pedum cruda deambulatio in asperis & in Cellis, petricosis Stationibus, crebra genu▪ flexio in cellis p [...]alibus, inedia Chameunia, insomnia, &c. Roth. ibid. Whether it be in Summer, who can be ignorant how tor­menting a thing it is to be shut up so close, so obscurely, so [Page 15] long, and that troubled with the violent heat of the Sunne abroad, and the smoothering aire of so many pressing one upon another within. If in Winter, how difficult a matter would it be to endure the ducking in the water, euen to mor­tification? And what time soever it be, yet how painefull is the walking barefoot so many dayes, galling their feet in those rockie Cells and rough Stations, and the often kneel­ing in them: Their fasting, lying on the ground, dreames, and the rest; neither is that the least which he so easily passeth over, The great Fast imposed on them. If it were onely for three dayes, yet might it be ground enough to inspect what [...]rasmus doth (speaking of this Purgatorie) That Non desunt etiam [...]odiè permulei qui descendunt, fed p [...] triduano [...]i jejunio, ne sano capite ingrediantur. [...] A [...]ag. de A [...]t [...] Tro­phonis. pag. 440. There doe not want very many at this day who de­scend thither, but first almost killed with three dayes fasting, least they should goe in thither with their wits about them. What then would he have said of our nine dayes fast? nay, what of fifteene dayes? for so we finde it used in the An­cienter pilgrimages, Ubi p [...]n­tem nullo ter­rore variari perspicit ei in mandatis totos quiadecim dies jejunius vivere modo corporis infirmitas tan­tam iuediam patiatur. [...]. St [...] hurst [...] [...]. S. Patric. lib. 2. pag. 73. when he perceiveth that the penitent is not with any terror to be removed, he commandeth him to keepe a spare diet for fifteene dayes. Altogether, provided that his bodie doe give way to so great abstinence. So great an abstinence is meant as may try the strength of the Body, and not simply A spare diet, of which, indeed great Fast, we have in Jacobus de voragine an instance, shewing it not onely ordinary, but to be by all observed, who should un­dergoe that Pilgrimage; his words are these, Post longum tempus mor­tuo Patricio, vir quidam no­bilis, nomine Nicholaus, qui peccata multa commisserat, cùm delicto­rum suorum p [...]niteret, ut purgatorium S. Patricij su­stinere v ellet [...]. diebus, ut Omnes facie­bant, se jejuni [...]s macerasset, &c. Ja [...]oh. Vorag. in vit. S. Patri [...] in [...]. 49. sol. 33. Long af­ter Patrick's death, a certaine Noble man named Nicholas, having committed many sinnes, and repenting of them, re­solved to undergoe S. Patrick's Purgatory. And when he had pined himselfe for fifteene dayes, which all are wont to doe, &c. Of which we have another example in Vincen­tius Belluacensis, of a Knight Fecit eum pet quindecim dies exereitari in jejunio, & [...]atione & confessione, Vin­cent. Belluaccus. speculo morali. lib. 2. [...]t. 11. part. 1. pag. 133. that went that pilgrimage, who was commanded to continue in fasting, praying, and confession fifteen dayes. To the same purpose also, Edin. Campion Jes. Hist. Ireland. lib. 1. cap. 13. Edmund [Page 16] Campion the Iesuite in his History of Ireland. The Pil­grime is (saith he) to beginne with prayer, fast and vigill of fifteen dayes, so long as in discretion can be indured: And yet how great soever this may seeme to be, it is notwith­standing nothing to what we finde in Polychronicon, written by Ranulphus Higden a Monke of Chester, and translated into English by Iohn Trevisa, a Priest that lived in Edward the Thirds time, Polychron. lib. 1. cap. 35. sol. 45. 2. where it is said, that he that will goe into this Purgatory (for of this he speaketh) shall be in prayers and fasting fifteen dayes, and after fifteen daies he shall be hanseld, and led to the doore of the Purgatory, out of which being returned, He shall be fifteene dayes in prayers and fasting. Here we see not three dayes alone, as Erasmus supposed, thinking that also too long: nor thrice three, as is common in these dayes, not five times three, as formerly, but thirtie dayes; whereof fifteen be­fore the going into the Purgatory: of which Vincentius, and the rest doe speake, and that as commonly practised; and fifteene dayes after, not unlikely also to be used at the same time, as commonly as the other: for so we see in that pilgrimage of the Knight, which is the first, of which we doe read, Matth. Paris. H [...]. Angl. in Stephan. pag. 84. & 87. who before his going in was fifteen dayes in prayer, and after he came out, He remained fifteen dayes in prayer, as we have it set out by Matthew Paris; under Prayer comprehending all things required in that Pilgri­mage. All which duely considered, if I did concurre with him, that thought such abstinence were purposely enjoyned, by causing a crazed braine to worke a stronger worke of the Imagination, and to make Fancies reall; I suppose, I should not be thought to doe any wrong, considering the rela­tions and newes brought backe by such as have gone that Pilgrimage, in which we shall after be larger. But that such fasting might and would produce such effects, and worke strangely on the Imagination, is not to be que­stioned; especially the mind being before prepossessed, and entertaining a prejudicate opinion of what it shall see. And how greatly the Fancie can in this kind enlarge [Page 17] it selfe, and bege [...] withall a strange credulity, esteeming shadowes (if so much) to be substances, there is none that can doubt; Neither doth that learned searcher of the causes of Melancholy M. Burton of the causes of Melancholy, part. 1. memb. 3. subsect. 2. p. 91. 92. improbably attribute to the bare working of Imagination, Those relations of Heaven and Hell, and what visions are there seene, as that of Sir Owen, in Matthew Paris, that went into S. Patricks Purgatory. The first pilgrimage we reade of (as I said before) which of that kinde may justly be ranked with those Tales of witches, progresses, dancing, riding, transformations, in which mixed with the Illusions of the Deuill, the force of the Imagination doth evidently appeare.

But being that in the following Chapter I am further to discourse of this, I shall now passe it over, and proceed in the third place to a disquisition and search after the §. 3. The Author and beginning of this Purgatory. Author, time, and manner of this strange Erection: for it being supposed to be for the Manner miraculous, for the Time so ancient, and for the Author so venerable, as we are made to beleeve it is, it is not to be wondred, if it were so much as it was looked after; and yet againe, even at this day earnestly to be desired. This I say supposed. But if on the contrarie, it shall appeare to fall short of all these, and prove to be but a meere impasture and fraud: how much will the credulity of those ignorant, thereby formerly misled, be to be pittied, and the cunning and co­veteousnesse of the Leaders detested; which so to be, I doubt not, will be seen in, the processe of the [...]nsuing Treatise.

§ And first for the Author, of whose Erection this Purga­tory is; I know it will seem to many to be a very needlesse Quaere; it carrying the Name of the Founder in it selfe, S. Patricks Purgatory: and that also being by a long-recei­ved Tradition, such as to question would hazard the cen­sure of one either ignorant, or too curious. For so it is told us, Purgatorium istud à Patri­cio fuisse in­ventum, com­munis est Hi­bernorum sen­sus & Traditio, quam cum la­cte nutrice su­xisse videntur, ut [...]si nicaris obtrudere con­tratiam sen­tentiam, à sum­mis, ab imis, & omnibus, tan­quàm Nova­tor, novarum (que) opinionum sa­tor, exautoreris & explodaris. Roth. de purg. S. Patric. [...] T [...]. Mess. [...]dit. pag. 91. num. [...] It is the common opinion and Tradition among all the Irish, which they seeme to have sucked from their mo­thers brests, that this Purgatorie was found by Patrick, [Page 18] insomuch as if one should presse the contrary, he would be by high and low, yea all rejected and hissed at, as a broacher of new opinions. And that it is so generally received, is esteem­ed no small argument of the truth thereof, for so it follow­eth; Primum fun­damentum re­ceptae traditi­onis sit ista tam constans & consona rece­ptio ejus ab omni aevo & memoriâ ho­minū per uni­versam hanc nationem. Ne (que) enimsine causâ dicitur quod omnium fertur ore, prae­sertim quando id ore piorum, eruditorum, prudentium, nemine penè refragante, constituitur, ibid. n. m. 7. Let the first ground of this received Tradition be the constant and consonant assent thereunto in every age, and beyond the memory of man throughout this whole Nation: Neither is it without ground which everyone saith, especi­ally when almost without any contradiction it is allowed and setled in the mouthes of godly, learned and wise men. But what need is there of arguments, when the matter is put out of all question? For now it is not to be received as the opinion of private men, but of the whole Church; see­ing in the Office and Lyturgie of S. Patrick, Collumb and Briget, with other Saints of Ireland, set out by Th [...]. Mes­singam, we thus finde it: Antrum p [...] ­nitentiale eti­amnùm visi­tur, quod de ejus nomine Puteus, seu Purgatorium S. Patricij vo­catur. Offic. S. Patr. &c. lect. 6. pag. 14. ed [...]. Paris. an. 1620. That Penitentiall cave is yet to be seen, which is called after his name, the Pit or Purgatory of S. Patrick. And why is it called Patricks Purgatory? it followeth in the Hymne.

And after in the Antiphone, Magni patris sunt miranda merita Patricij, cui Deus ostendit locum Purgatorij, quo viventes se expurgent delinquentes filij. Ibid. pag. 21. ad magnifie at▪ Antiphona. Wonderfull are the merits of the great father Patrick, to whom God did shew the place of Purgatory where his sinfull children, even yet li­ving, may purge themselves. And will you see of what force this argument is esteemed: take it out of Roth, who doth labour hard for it, I ertium fundamentum elicitur ex ipso of­ficio ecclesiastico & uniformi consensu ecclesiasticorum & ecclesiae Sanctorum qui à multis saeculis inibi floruerunt, quorum omnium authoritatem & mutuam consentio­nem, quae satis exprimitur in antiquis breviarijs & Antophinarijs manuscriptis omnium provinciarum, quis (que) ille esset qui non formidaret contemnere, Egouti (que) non excu­sa [...]em ejus temeritatem & audaciam. Roth. ibid. quò sup. à pag. 92. num. 10. The third ground (saith he) is taken from the very ecclesiasticall Office and uniforme con­sent of all congregations and Saints of the Church, who have there flourished (I suppose in Ireland) for ma­ny ages, whose joint Authority and mutuall [Page 19] consent being declared in the ancient Manuscript, Brevi­aries and Responsals of all the Provinces, who is he that will not feare to contemne? certainely, I would not under­take to excuse his rashnesse and boldnesse. To all which, I will in the last place adde one of the ancient Irish Rhymes concerning this, supposed to be by S. Patrick himselfe, in a vision delivered to one sleeping in this Purgatory, and that to this end, that it should be every where divulged, which concludeth with the former: the words are these. [...]. MSS. Hibern. Derm. mac Egan. Awake thou man, and remember my Rhyme in haste. Let it al. be sowen. spread East and West, and be written with a pen. I am Patrick Chiefe, or head of the Clergie, who have ob­tained from God no small thing: A gift large and liberall which was never found till I did come to it; A Purgatory for punishment here, and no other Purgatory to be after.

What boldnesse then? what rashnesse who but an In­novator? and one deserving to be hissed out of the com­pany dare question, who other than Patrick should be the finder or founder of this Purgatory? It is, you see, conclu­ded by a generall Tradition, by the common consent of the Church, and approved by a Vision: an Argament in that Church, not inferior to any other, the thing (I confesse) do not deserve so much inke, but I have the rather observed it, that the confidence of these men may be seen, imposing for undeniable verities, matters doubtful & most uncertain.

For notwithstanding all these loud-cryes to the Con­trary, we shall finde this not to be any new Question, whe­ther or not S. Patrick were the Author of this Purgatory, Hujus lati­buliorigo non­nullam inter scriptores con­troversiam pa­rit: alij nobis negotium face­scunt, negant (que) Patricium hu­jus monumenti vel authorem vel inventorem fuisse. Rich. St [...]hurst in vit. S. Patrie. lib. 2. pag. 65. The Originall of this den hath bred some difference among Writers, saith a most judicious Writer, and one favouring the cause, but this is too generall: Others finde us work, denying that S. Patrick was either the beginner or finder of this monument, saith the same Author. And so obscure is the Question, that a Jesuite findeth such difficulties and [Page 20] improbalities in their opinions who attribute it to S. Pa­trick, that he clearly conceiveth it cannot be. Edm. Campion Jes. Hift. of Ireland. lib. 1. cap. 13. Two things I muse at (saith he) That neither the Time nor the Author of so strange Erection was preserved: concerning the time, one Record putteth it in anno Domini 302. which is 128. yeares before Patrick converted Ireland, and sixtie and fix yeares before his birth.

So that it will not be (I trust) any absurditie in us to examine this, and make some while a stand, before we rashly assent with the vulgar to a thing, it may be, no lesse unlikely than Questionable; especially seeing Roth him­selfe, even there where he seemeth most confident of this, could not but tacitely confesse it not to be altogether so generally confessed, as men usually esteemed it; that is to say, without Contradiction: but this he must have to be understood with a Modification of Almost, Roth. suprà pag. 14. li [...]. (u) which we say useth to salve from a lye, speeches too farre strained, such as that is.

Neither is it without controversie, to which of the Three Patricks (if to any of them) this Purgatory should be ascribed: But to the second of that name doth Ra [...]nl­phus give it, Polychron. lib. 5. cap. 4. whom John Brampton followeth, Job. Brampton F [...]alen. H [...]. and both agree with Henry of Saltry; yet doth not Henry mean him whom Ranulphus calleth the lesse, who flourish­ed about the yeare 850. as the Compiler of the Antiquities of Glastenbury hath it, MSS. in Bi­blioth. Tho. Alani Oxon. as it is observed by the now most learned Primate of all Ireland. But he whom Henry nameth, is that Great Patrick who converted the Irish to the Christisn Faith, which no man will (I suppose) say was done [...] 850, being rather more than 400. yeares be­fore, that is to say, in the year 432. for this Purgatory is said to be one chiefe meanes of the conversion of Ireland, to which end it was supposed to be first instituted; for so Thyreus out of others, Effraenatos animos infer­nalium poena­rum terrore emolliebat, ut sic ad fidem vel invitos com­pellaret, incre­dulis enim de damnatorum poenis ac sup­plicijs dubitan­tibus, & visibile testimonium petentibus si­gnum hoc (si­cut traditio fi­delis, multi (que) non ignobiles authores re­ferūt) ostendit: Circulū in ter­rra fecit, inera cujus ambitum hiatus ingens, aspectu horribilis, apparuit, per cujus occultos & sinuo­sos meatus, luctus, ejulatus & lamentabiles voces saepè audiebantur. Guil. Thyraeus discurs. paneg. de [...]. [...]. Patrie. pag. 150. He did mollifie their unbridled [Page 21] minds with the terrour of infernall paines, that so he might as it were, force them to beleeve. For He (as undoubted Tradi­tion and many credible Authors report) did shew this signe to those incredulous men, doubting of the paines and punish­ment of the damned, and thereof requiring some visible de­monstration: for He made a Circle in the earth, within the compasse whereof there was an opening of the earth, great and terrible to be seene, through whose secret and winding passages oft times are heard lamentations, wailings and dolefull sounds; where we have S. Patrick, the Author; the time, at the first conversion of the Kingdome; and the manner and thing it selfe, wonderfull and miraculous. But if we should call upon Thyreus for a confirmation of these so confidently delivered Assertions, our best answer would be, that we must relie on undoubted Tradition, and on the testimonies of credible Authors; how undoubted the Tra­dition hereof is, shall likewise hereafter appeare. But who are these Authors? in this is he silent: for in very truth, we finde neither credible Authors, nor any Author at all, that for more than 700. yeares after S. Patrick, doth write one word of this Purgatory, which will seeme in­credible to any that shall consider, either the Times, or the Subject to be treated off.

As for the Times, whether we consider that in which S. Patrick lived, or those next following; no ages were (if not this) more learned, and Christianitie planted here by S. Patrick had so good progresse, that (if we beleeve Iocelin Infra breve temporis spa­tium nulla e­remus, nullus penè terrae an­gulus aut locus in Insulâ tam remot [...] qui per­fectis monachis aut monialibus non replere­tur, ita ut Hi­bernia speciali nomine Insula Sanctorū jure nominaretur; vivebant enim secundùm Re­gulam illis à S. Patricio praefixam, mundi contemptu, coelestium ap­petitu, sancta mortificatione carnis, ac abdi­catione volun­tatis propriae, pares Egyptijs Monachis me­rito at (que) nu­mero, ita ut exteras & lon­ginquas Nati­ones illustra­rent verbo ac religionis ex­emplo. Jocel. in viti S. Pa­tric. cap. 174. pag. 75. edit. à Tho. Messing. in slorilegio. writing of S. Patricks life.) In a very short time there was no wildernesse, nor almost any corner of the land, or place in the Island so remote, which was not with perfect Monks and Nuns replenished, insomuch as Ireland was by a speciall name and that deservedly called the Island of Saints: for they lived according to the Rule by S. Patrick prescribed unto them, they contemning the world, and de­siring heavenly things with an holy mortifying of the flesh, and denying their owne wills: Equall were they both in merit and number to those Egyptian Monks, so as by do­ctrine [Page 22] and life, they did informe and teach forraigne and farre distant Nations. Thus Iocelin. And can it be ima­gined, that among so many learned and devout men, li­ving in the same, or the next following ages to S. Pa­trick, there should not be so much as any one found, that doth but once mention this Purgatory, if then it had been? likely it is, it would not have been hid, especially in the first rising of it; it being of so great observation, that the whole Kingdome is pretended to be moved with it, and converted by it.

Object. If it be said, that although those ages might af­ford learned men, yet perhaps not many Writers; or if such there were, yet might their works not come to our hands, and so This passe unobserved.

Reas. Which things were they so, and that many such writings might miscarry, yet what shall we thinke of them whose works doe appeare? or, if no other Writer would do it, why doth not our great Patrick himself write of it; or but glance at it, he having so fit an occasion to doe it in his booke intituled De tribus habitaculis, said to be his? The words I doe insert, Tria sub om­nipotenis Dei nutu habitacu­la quorū sum­mum Regnum Dei ve [...] regnū coelorum dici tur: imum vo­catur infernus; medium mun­dus praesens vel orbis terrarum appellatur, quorū extrema omninò invicē sunt contraria, & nullâ sibi so­cietate conjun­cta (que enim Societas potest esse Luci ad tenebras, & Christo ad Be­lial?) medium verò non nul­lam habet si­militudinem ad extrema, &c. Commistio e­nim malorum simul & bono­rum in hoc mundo est. In regno autem Dei, nulli mali sunt, sed omnes boni; at in inferno nul­li boni sunt, sed omnes mali; & uter (que) locus ex medio suppletur: Hominum enim hujus alij elevantur ad coelum, alij trahu [...]itur ad infernum, similes quippè similibus junguntur, id est, boni bonis, & mali malis, justi homines justis Angelis, transgres­sores homines transgressoribus Angelis, servi Dei Deo, servi Diaboli Diabolo, Be­nedicti vocantur ad regnum sibi paratum ab origine mundi; Maledicti expelluntur in ignem qui praeparitus est diabolo & angelis ejus. Patric. de tribus habitaculis MSS. in [...]bl. Regi [...] observat à Revere [...]dissimo patre Jacobo A [...]achane. There are three dwelling places under the command of Almighty God, The Highest, Lowest, and the Middle; whereof the highest is called the Kingdome of God, or the Kingdome of Heaven; The lowest is called Hell; this present world is the middle; of these the two extremes are to each other contrary, and by no fellowship to be joyned: (for what fellowship can light have with darknesse? or Christ with Belial?) but the middle hath some similitude with both extremes, &c. for in this world there is a mixture of good and bad; but in the King­dome [Page 23] of God are no bad, but all good; in Hell no good, but all bad; and both these places are supplyed by the middle: for of the men of this world, some ascend up into Heaven, others are cast downe into Hell, like are joyned to like; that is to say, good to good, and bad to bad, just men to just An­gels, and transgressing men to transgressing Angels, the servants of God to God, the servants of the devill to the de­vill; The blessed are called to a Kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the world; The cursed are dri­ven out into the fire prepared for the Devill and his An­gels. In all which, you see, there is not any mention of this, (suppose his) or any other Purgatory.

Neither (I confesse) is it necessary that all Writers of that, no more than of the after ages, should mention this Purgatory, perhaps it not being sutable to their subject treated off; yet surely may it well be expected at their hands, who have proposed to themselvs to write of S. Pa­tricks life, and who doe observe the memorable passages thereof; How this should escape their pens it may well be wondred?

The first Author we finde in this kinde is Probus an Irishman: an author in the Iudgement of all men most wor­thy credit, if we credit Messingham, Probus Hi­bernus Author omnium judi­cio, fide dignis­simus, qui cir­ca Bedae tem­pora, ut vide­tur, flor▪ it, vi­tam S. Patricij Hibernorum Apostoli scri­psit. Tho: Mess▪ tract. praeamb. [...] nominibus Hiberniae. He as it seemed flourished about the time of Be [...]e, (anno 731. being 299. yeares after S. Patrick) and did write the life of S. Patrick the Apostle of the Irish: I might well make a stand, and not pawn my credit with Messingham, upon the truth of all that Probus doth set down in that Treatise, and how little cause I had to doe it, I doe referre to the Iudgement of the Reader; certainely, he that shall peruse that his book, may well imagine the whole endeavour of the man, to be not to passe by any thing, although never so triviall; and triviall matters to set forth to the best, sometimes beyond all bounds. Yet of this Purgatory, although (as was said) one principall meanes of the conversion of the people, it also exhibiting so many and wonderfull things to be seene and heard, being flocked unto from farre and neare, and so [Page 24] strangely made or found, that also by S. Patrick himselfe. Yet of this Purgatory (I say) we finde not in Probus so much as one word, it is not once mentioned by him, no not so much as by Heresay; Neither is this observation mine alone, but we finde it as a marginall Annotation to Antoninus Archbishop of Florence in the life of S. Patrick, Vulgatam ha [...]c de Pur­gatorio S. Pa­tricij historiam author qui Be­de assuitur non habet. Antonin. Archiep. Floren. Chron. tom. 11. de S. Patrite. part. 2. ad anno 500. c. 18. §. 2, p. 203. in mar­gine edit. Lugd. anno 1586. The Historie so common concerning S. Patricks Purgato­rie is not in the Author that is joyned to Bede, he meaneth this Probus, whose work we finde in the Volumes of Ve­nerable Bede, in whose dayes, if this History had been so common as in after ages, no man I thinke that readeth him, will judge it likely to slip his pen, or to be passed over in that deep silence that it is.

But that which may seem above all others most strange is, that Vitam S. Pa­tricij ab infan­tià, us (que) ad mortem exa­ctissimè de­scripsit, nec ta­meir ullum verbum uspiam loquatur. [...]oth. apud Tho. Mess. de Purgat. S. Patric. cap. 1. pag. 93. num. 14. Iocelin esteemed a most exact writer, Writing of the life of S. Patrick from his infancie even to his death, and that most exactly: yet of this hath not one word any where, saith Roth; and yet lived this Iocelin anno 1183. Reverend. P. Jacob. Armach. de Eccles. Pri­ [...]ord. pag. 816. being 751. yeares after S. Patrick, and after Probus 452. yeares, whose works, whosoever shall take the paines to peruse, will perceive it impossible that a Rela­tion of this consequence should drop by; especially so many leaves being stuffed with such matters as will be there met withall.

This so great an omission hath been, and not without good cause, much taken into consideration by later Wri­ters, (the earnest defenders of this Purgatory) who con­tend so much for the Antiquitie thereof, as may appeare by the Apollogies made for Iocelin in this respect: And yet we finde all of them to come short of helping the matter, although some have practised to insert more than enough of it into Iocelins works.

As for the later: in a Manuscript copie of Iocelin, which I have seen in The now most learned Primate's Librarie, I doe finde two Chapters of this Subject, viz. Cap. 198. & [Page 25] 199. The words are these, p While S. Patrick preached Cum [...]. [...]a­tricius per Hi­berniam predi­caret & fructū ibi permodi­cum faceret, rogavit domi­num ut ali­quod signum ostenderet, per quod vel ter­riti poeniteret. jussu igitur do­mini in quo­dam loco cir­culum magnū cum Baculo Je­su designavit, & ecce terra intra circulum se apperuit, & puteus maxi­mus & profun­dissimus appa­ruit, rolatum (que) est Bea [...]o Pa­tricio quod ibi esset quidam Purgatorij lo­cus, quem quis­quis vellet de­scendere alia si­bi poenitentia non restaret, nec aliud pro poccatis purga­toriū sentiret, pleri (que) enim indè non re­deunt & qui redirent, eos à manè us (que) in­sequens manè ibidem moram facere opporteret: multi ita (que) ingrediebantur qui de caetero non re­vertebantur. Addit. focel. de vit. S. Patric. in Bibl. Reverendis. P. Jacob. Arinachan, cap. 198. through Ireland, and had found but small fruit of his la­bours, he did beseech the Lord to shew some signe, by which, although by terrour, they might be brought to repentance. By the command therefore of the Lord, with the staffe of Ie­sus (a Rod, like that of Moses for doing Miracles) he did make a great Circle in a certaine place: And behold, the earth within the Circle did open of it selfe, and there ap­peared a great and most deep pit in that place. It was also revealed to S. Patrick that a certaine place of Purgatorie was there, into which who so would descend, needed no other repentance for his sinne, neither should he feele any other Purgatory; whence many were never to returne, and they that did, must first continue there from morning to the mor­ning of the next day; many therefore went in that never came backe. This is the 198. Chapter, and in the next, ibid. cap. 119. there is a Relation of one that did goe into S. Patrick's Purgatory, telling what there hapned unto him, after which, within 30 dayes he dyed, what can be more plain? could there any thing be more fully said? who then can say, that in Iocelin we reade nothing of S. Patrick's Pur­gatorie?

But great cause have we to suspect, that these two Cha­pters are but a patch pieced in, out of the Gold [...] Legend, Jacob. de Voragine Legend. A [...]r. cap. 49. and Petrus de Natalibus; in both which books, treating of the life of S. Patrick, we have that discourse word for word. Besides, that in the printed Iocelins, these two last Chapters are altogether omitted, as acknowledged to be Matth. 9. 16. A new piece added to an old garment, which hath made the rent worse, for in the printed editions there are but 196. Chapters: Neither doth Roth in his Elucidations upon Iocelin, added unto Messinghams Florilegium, mention any more Chapters, he shutting up the Booke with the 196. Chapter containing S. Patrick's buriall in Downe: [Page 26] but this was perhaps but forgotten, or rather put off un­till the next Edition of Iocelin; in the meane time, trying whether that manuscript might passe for Authenticall and unexamined.

It is true indeed, and cannot be denyed, that in the 172. Chapter of the printed Booke there is mention made of S. Patrick's Purgatory, but it is as true, and most apparant that it is not the same, but farre different from this which we now looke after: as also from that other Purgatory belonging to S. Brendan, of which I have before spo­ken; Iocelins Words are these, Subijt in montem excel­sum Chrua­chan-aigle vo­catum in Co­naciâ consti­tutum. In cu­jus montis ca­cumine jeju­nare & vigila­re consuescunt plurimi, opi­nantes se po­steà nunquàm intraturos por­tas inferni, quia hoc impe­tratum à Do­mino existi­mant m [...]ritis ac precibus S. Patricij. Re­ferunt etiam nonnulli qui pernoctave­rant ibi se tor­menta gravis­ssima fuisse perpessos, quibus se purgatos à peccatis putant, undè & quidam illorum lo­ [...] illum purgatorium S. Patricij vocant. Jocel. de vitá S. Patricij. cap. 171. & 172. S. Patrick went up into an high mountaine in Connaght called Chruaghan-aigle, on the top of which mountaine very many were accustomed to fast and watch, thinking they should never after enter into the gates of hell, which they think by the prayers and merits of S. Patrick to have been obtained from God. Some also who have slept there report, that they have endured most greivous torments, by which they conceive themselves to be purged from their sinnes; whence some of them call that place S. Patrick's Purgatory. Thus Iocelin. And who seeth not here two distinct places? the one in Vlster, that which we treate off; the other in Connaght, of which Iocelin; that in an Island within a lake, this on the top of a mountaine: So that it is most cleare, that Iocelin hath not one word of this great Purgatory; which also will seem most strange, he falling into a discourse of that other S. Patrick's Purgatory, which probably evinceth that either then it was not, or not credited.

But how shall we helpe this? patching will not serve the turne, as I shewed before; how then? Messing­ham steps in here, and first seemeth to recall something of that, which before, it may be unawares, he had granted: [Page 27] Cum certis­sunum sit ex­traordinarium in Hibernià à Patricio inven­tum fuisse pur­gatorium: cer­tum item sit istud à Joce­lino in ejus vitâ aut pror­sus silentio praeteriti aut levissimè ta­ctum deseri. Non ideò ex­istimamus có­munem dome­sticorum tra­ditionem ac ex­terorum hocce de purgatorio assertionem de­bilitari. Aut Jocelinum im­perfecti operis authorem de­bere appellari; cùm & ipsum sufficienter ex­cusare & non incongrue su­prà relatum Johannis de Domino dictū famulò domin [...] Patricio ac­commodare possumus sic dicendo. Sunt autom & alia multa quae secit Patricius, que non sant scipta in libro boc à Jocelino composito, ob causasnimirùm supra in explicatione textus Euange­lici memoratas, viz. aliqua immo plurima comemoratu digna à tali sancto patrata [...] penitùs ignoret aut cognita praetermittar. Deinde non sine magnâ probabilitate asso­rimus ideircò de Purgatorio S. Patricij in libro ejus vitae non tractasse quod e [...] ali­quorum opinione doceptus non Patricium Apostolum, sed alium Pa [...]icium, & aetare & dignitate ob hoc diversum, hujus Purgatorij inventorem fuisle putaverit. Th [...]. Messingh. tract. de Purg. S. Patric. praefat. ad Lectorem. pag. 86. & 87. As it is most certaine that there was an extraordinary Purgatory found out by Patrick in Ireland: so it is also certaine, that Iocelin in his life doth either passe it over in silence, or butlightly glance at it, (a Glance rather than nothing.) But it is most certaine that it is not so much, and that more certaine than that that Purgatorie was found by Patrick. This is too plaine to be denied: and therefore, in the next place he doth confesse, or rather grant, and avoid it; for notwithstanding this, (saith he) Yet doe we not therefore think, that the Common Tradition of our owne Countrey-men and strangers concerning this Purgatory is thereby weakened; how common the Tradi­tion hath been since the time of Iocelin, I question not; but what Tradition was before, I cannot see, when as there was not any memory of it extant, for ought appear­ing, for more than 700. yeares after Patrick; it is true, that it did begin to be on foot about 45. yeares, or lesse be­fore Iocelin in Henry of Saltry's time, but yet in all like­lihood as soone rejected as it was moved, which may well be gathered out of this our Authors silence: so that a plea of Tradition here will scarcely be admitted, or if it be, where is your Authors exactnesse you so much boast off? but notwithstanding, say you, we doe not think that Iocelin ought to be accounted the Author of an imperfect worke, when as we may excuse him sufficiently, and not incongru­ously by that speech of Iohn spoken of our Lord, which may fitly be applyed to Patrick the Lords servant, saying, that there are many other things that Patrick did which are not written in this booke, made by Iocelin, for the causes be­fore remembred, in the expounding of that text of the Go­spel; [Page 28] and what are those reasons? Some yea many things he either knew not, or he wittingly omitted them, as being before known; but whether of these shall we sticke unto? to say Iocelin did not know of it, would too much dis­cover the weaknesse of the cause: or if he did, yet would passe this by, making choice of sleighter matters (I doubt not) better knowne than this was, would question either his exactnesse, or blemish his Judgement too much; what then shall we say? heare then the last evasion. Be­sides, not without great probability doe we say, that Iocelin did not handle any thing of S. Patrick's Purgatory, in that book which he did write of the life of S. Patrick, because he was deceived by the opinions of others, who did think that it was not Patrick the Apostle, but another Patrick, both in time and dignitie to him inferior, that was the finder of this Purgatory. First then we have it here granted, and that with great probability, that Iocelin doth not write of any such thing. Next for the rest, we have onely confi­dent surmises, without any probabilitie at all, that Iocelin was misled by any such error to mistake the Author of this Purgatory, and consequently to omit it selfe, but ra­ther we finde probabilities to the contrary: for whereas Iocelin doth not doubt to attribute to S. Patrick that Pur­gatory in Connaght, how should he doubt of the Au­thor of this other Purgatory? for there is none that I know, who esteemeth them to come from different hands. And for this Thyraus shall be insteed of many, Hodierno die inter reliqua à Patricio poe­narum loca inventa, duo frequentibus Hibernorum peregrinationi­bus celeberri­nia extant, unus in Cona­cia, alter in Ultoniâ, de de priori in vertice asperi cujusdam & ardui montis collocato libet Iocelini verba hic recitare. In hujus moutis cacumine, &c. Thyreus discurs. pane [...]yr. de [...]i­racul. S. Patric. At this day among other places of punishment found by Patrick, there are two extant, being above others famous for pilgrimages; The one in Connaght, the other in Ulster. Of the first, which is placed on the top of a certaine craggie and steep mountaine, I will here repeat the words of Iocelin, on the top of this mountaine, &c. the place before spoken off. So that we finde but one Author for both Purgato­ries: Neither is there any that doth mislead us, but Roth onely, who would herein, if he could, deceive his Rea­der. It would be therefore (by farre) the fairer course to [Page 29] confesse what cannot well be denyed, then to think by forgeries and frivelous evasions to delude us.

And this will yet seeme more strange, if we but looke back a little into the time of Iocelin's writing. The first word that we heare of S. Patrick's Purgatory is in Henry of Saltry, anno 1140. (upwards of 700. yeares, as was said, after S. Patrick) in whose time the contention was great, and all meanes used for setting up the credit there­of: yet notwithstanding all the noise and bustling that then was, it was as soone husht againe, and within 45. yeares after in the time of Iocelin buried in deep silence: so that either there was no such thing then acknow­ledged, or otherwise it was as too too ridiculous by Ioce­lin omitted. But I rather think the first, seeing he ma­keth no great choice of his matter, and standeth not much on examining the probabilitie of many things he hath written: wherein let me use Campion the Iesuits words, who (I know not on what grounds) thought that Giral­dus Cambrensis did omit to write of this Purgatory, whereas we know he did; yet will I make use of the in­ference thereupon, and may well apply the same to what now I have in hand. That Edm. Campion Jes. Hist. of Ireland. lib. 1. cap. 13. although a negative autho­ritie be not invincible, yet considering the property of that man, and what a sort of trifles he taketh paines to justifie, it may serve for a vehement suspition, that the place was either then not found, or not miraculous. Thus Campion of Giraldus, and thus we of the rest.

But from the Time, to come to the consideration of the thing it selfe; for as I have shewed it improbable, that in such learned times, among so many learned men, and of them some writing purposely of S. Patricks Life, the mention of this Purgatory should so passe as it hath, if it had then a being, as we are borne in hand: so will it seeme much more impossible, if the nature of the thing it selfe be looked into; for had it been a thing obscure, or of none account, it would be the lesse wonder that it should be forgotten; but being of all other things, that [Page 30] which is of greatest note, it could not be hid nor negle­cted; nothing deserving to be more, or so much remem­bred as this. So O Sullevan writing of Ireland, Superest ad­huc omnium memorabilium rerū Hiberniae maxima, de quá principe loco fuisset agendū ea est D. Patri­cij Purgatori­um. Phil. O Sull. Hibern. Histor. tom. 1. lib. 2. pag. 14. There doth yet remaine that which of all the memorable things of Ireland is most memorable, of which I should have spoken in the first place, and that is S. Patricks Purgatory, saith he, Peter Lumbard also, the late popish Primate of Armagh, writing of the places in Ireland of greatest note, doth above all the rest extoll this Purgatory: Ex quibus celebertimus & sanctissimus est qui Purga­torij sancti Pa­tricij locus ap­pellatur. Pet. Lumbard. Com­ment. de regno Hibern. cap. 20. pag. 276. Of all of them the most famous, and most holy is that which is called, the place of S. Patricks Purgatory; and if so it were in those dayes esteemed, it ought not, it could not be forgotten, as it was by all the writers of these former ages.

Neither will it serve to say, that this Purgatory was then in the Infancy therof, and not well known or frequented, so as much notice to be taken of it, at the least so much as in after times for to passe by, what before I touched; consi­dering it was supposed to be obtained by Patrick from God, for the Conversion of the whole Nation, and that it did worke that effect, by which all must have taken spe­ciall notice of it: we shall further find these men to con­clude, that even in S. Patricks owne time, also pilgrima­ges were very frequent thither; for so O Sullevan, In id Purga­torium cùm Patricius vixit multi sunt in­gressi causâ crimina pur­gandi, quorum nonnulli qui nu tantis fidei fuerunt ampliùs non exsti­terunt, at illi qui firmâ & immutabili fide municbantur, reversi retulerunt se Orcum vidisse, ingentes cruciatus esse perpessos, magnam quo (que) requiem & faelicitatem oculis lustrasse. Phil. O Sull. Hist. Cath. Hibern. tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. While S. Patrick lived, many went into that Purgatory for the purging of their sinnes, whereof some, who were doubt­full, never returned; but they who were armed with a firme and unmoved faith being returned, reported that they had seen Hell, and endured great Torments; that also they had seen great felicity and rest. Many (saith he) went in even in S. Patricks time: They flocked thither by troopes, (saith another) by whom Ad hanc Cavernam aetate Patricij, magna turba certatim confluxit, ab intrantibus multa miracula recitabantur ex his nonnulla antiquitatis monumentis consignata. Rich. Sta [...]hurst. de vitā S. Patric. lib. 2. pag. 65. many miracles were related, of which some are recorded in the Monuments of Antiquity, but [Page 31] where are these Monuments? Edm. Camp on I. suit hist. Ire­land. The Revelations of men that went in, S. Patrick yet living, are kept within the said Abby, saith the third: but yet let the producing of them be pressed, and no such can be found, such and more than enough of such may be easily found of a late stampe, but farre short of S. Patrick, or many ages after.

To come then to the time of the first discoverie that we reade of it, the first newes we heare of it, was in the age of Steven King of England, and that by that Henry of Saltry, whom we have before named: who flourished about the yeare 1140. many, even seven ages after S. Pa­tricks conversion of this Kingdome, which was about the yeare of our Lord 432. before which Henry, (and he also a stranger to the Kingdome, and so taking it onely on hearesay) we finde not any footsteps of it any where: and with him doth Roth (one that hath swet in this matter) beginne, as at the head, Domesticis Testimonijs adstipulantur exterorum suf­fragia ut Hen­rici Salterien­sis, & Matthaei Parisiensis in visione Oeni militis, &c. Roth. de Pur­gat. S. Patric. pag. 9. num. 8. To our testi [...]ies at home, saith he, late ones all, as may appeare, We have assenting the suffrages of Stangers, as of Henry of Saltry, and Mat­thew Paris in that vision of Owen the Knight, where we finde two Authors, reporting one and the same history, it being the first we finde commonly called the History of the Knight; these Two againe we must reduce to One, The one of these writers borrowing from the other: Matthew Paris (being also a stranger) who lived about the yeare 1245. relating, what he doth, out of that Henry; after whom he lived more than 100. yeares, and after Io­celin 60. yeares: a long time, especially in superstitious times, for such a Relation to take head; and possible it is, considering the times to find many reporters, and such also as might be more readie to help it forward, by adding to it for the best advantage: of which kinde we finde to be in the first place, these two first Henry and Matthew, as may appeare by the circumstances of the relation, of the grounds (I meane) and inducements for our beleeving the thing; of which in the next place, without touch­ing upon the passages of that Pilgrimage, which well ex­amined, [Page 32] would afford abundant matter for its owne con­futation; but that I referre to the following Chapter.

The proceedings in Matthew and Henry are these in substance, for the particulars were tedious. That there was a certaine Knight by some called Egnus, Phil. O Sull. Patric. Decad. lib. 9. cap. 9. but of others and more commonly Oenus, as in Matthew Paris, whom herein I follow, Mat. Parisi­ensis Hist. Angl. in Stephan. pag. 83. edit. Tygur. 1606. This Owen was borne in Ireland, and followed Steven King of England in his Warres, from whom returning into Ireland his native Countrey to visit his parents, and after some time, taking into a serious con­sideration the great disorders of his ungodly life past, he doth apply himselfe by way of confession to an Irish Bi­shop, I know not whether Florentianus bishop (as I con­ceive) of Clogher, (he who did labour so much with Sal­teriensis to worke in him a beliefe of this Purgatory, of which after.) This Bishop, whosoever he was, being a­bout to enjoy [...]e our delinquent his Penance, is prevented by Owen, of himselfe making choice of going into S. Pa­trick's Purgatory, notwithstanding the earnest solicitati­on of the Bishop to the contrary; but being resolved, The Bishop dismisseth him with Letters to the Prior of that Purgatory, by whom after fifteene dayes exercise and pre­paration, he is admitted and shut up alone in the Cave: After whose returne we have him the Author of a very strange relation, the ground-work of all that followed in that kind; as that, through that Cave, he did passe into ma­ny subterraneall spatious Rooms and Passages, by which he is led into all the corners of that Generall Purgatory, as it is called; this againe guiding him into Hell it selfe, (these two supposed not to be farre distant) over which by the benefit of a bridge he passeth into Paradise, the same Pa­radise out of which our first Parents were cast, from whence (and all this in a few houres) is he back againe at the en­trance of the Cave. In all which what incredible and portentous reports we meet, shall be referred to its owne place, to be revised and examined. Our Pilgrim now re­turned, goeth another Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and thence [Page 33] backe againe into England where hee doth certifie the King of his resolution of forsaking the World, and wholly addicting himselfe to a Religious life. At which time saith Matthew (or Salteriensis rather whose dis­course is verbatim in Matthew) Contigit au­rē eo tempore quod Gervasius Ludensis coe­nobij Abbas, Rege Anglorū Stephano do­ [...]ante, locum ad Abbatiam construendam, in Hibernia obtineret qui Monachum su­um, nomine Gilbertum, ad regem direxit, ut ab eo locum susciperet, & ibi construerer Abbatiam. At Gilbertus ad Regem veniēs conquestus est ninus quod pa­triae illius lin­guam non no­vit. Sed inquit Rex, bonum ti­bi interpretem Deo auxiliante in [...]eniam. Et vocato Milite Oeno, jussit Rex ut cum Gilberto iret, & cum ipso in Hibernia rema­neret. Quod Miles gratanter annuens cum dicto Gilberto remansit, & satis eidevotus ministrans, monachalem habitum suscipere voluit quia servus esset quem Dominus praeelegit, transcuntes autem in Hiberniam Abbatiam construxerunt ubi Miles Ocnus interpres Monachi de votus extirit, & in omnibus agendis minister fidelis, quandocun­que verò Monachus solus alicubi cum Milite fuit, de statu Purgatorij & poenis mi­rabilibus, quas viderat & experto didicerat, curiosè ab eo quaesivit, &c. Matth. Pa­ris. ubi supra. It happened that Ger­vasius Abbet of the Monastery of Luda, obtayned leave from the King of England for to build an Abbey in Ire­land, and to that end hee sent a Monke called Gilbert to the King, that he might have the grant of a place for the Abbey: Gilbert comming to the King did complaine that he wanted the Irish-tongue. To whom the King said, I will (God willing) find out for you a good interpreter, and Owen being called, the King commanded him to goe with Gil­bert that with him hee might remaine in Ireland, which the knight most willingly assented unto, and continued with Gilbert, to whom he did carefully minister, and was desi­rous to take the habit of a Monke, as being a servant fore­chosen by the Lord. Into Ireland they went and built the Abbey, where the Monke Owen was his interpreter and faithfull servant, but whensoever the monke Gilbert was private with the Knight, hee was very inquisitive of the state of Purgatory, and the wonderfull terments which he saw and by experience had learned. And from this Gilbert Saltericusis receiveth the relation. Superiorem narrationem cum saepè dictus Gilbertus coram multis me quo (que) au­diente [...], sicut saepiùs ab ipso Milite audietat. Hen. Salt. de Purg. S. Patr. The aforesaid narra­tion, the said Gilbert did often repeate in my hearing, saith Henry himselfe, according as he had often heard it from the Knight.

Where I passe over the ignorant and grosse mistake [Page 34] of our Author in making Stephen King of England to have any power of disposing of land in Ireland, as by the most learned Primate is justly observed, Iacob. Arma­chan. de Pri­mord. Eccles. Brit. pag. 898. whereas the succeeding King Henry the second, was the first who could clayme there: Let us proceed to view the seve­rall Actors in this Sceane, and whom have we in this Monkish age, but all Monks? as Henry, Matthew, Gilbert, and Owen, to whom adde Florentianus, whom anon we shall see enter, and act his part too on this stage.

Of Matthew Paris I have not much to say, (he being but Henry's transcriber) setting aside his affectionate manner of expressing the matter, sutable to the supersti­tion of his times and his order: setting aside also his partiall taking up ungrounded reports; and adding there­unto of his owne many things in that kinde, besides what he hath out of Salteriensis.

But our first Author is Henry of Saltry, if we allow it not rather to Gilbert so stirring in the plot, of whom Matthew thus: Hujus Mona­chi industriâ & diligentiâ, hu­jus Militis ex­perientiâ re­dacta est iu scripturam, si­mul cum rela­latione Episco­porum regio­nis & aliorum religiosorum qui causa justi­tiae pertribue­runt testimoni­um veritati. Matth. Patris. ubi supra p. 88. By the industrie and diligence of this Monke he meaneth Gilbert, and the Knights owne expe­rience, this is reduced to writing: together with the relati­on of the Bishops of that Region, and of other religious men, who to verifie the truth thereof, have thereunto given their testimonie. How many Bishops, or other hands, or votes were given to it wee know not, no such thing being to be seene: But, if any, I dare assure my selfe Florentianus would be one. For that Henry of Saltry was wholly led, or rather misléd by these two Floren­tianus the Bishop and Gilbert the monke, Henry's owne words will apparantly discover.

Gilbert is Henry's first Relator, from whom he heareth of this matter in the presence of many others, as before was shewed, in which number (saith Henry.) there was one present, who said he doubted much if any such thing had happened. Affuit inter illos unus qui haec ita conti­gisse se dubita­re dirit. Ego verò postquam haec omnia au­dicram, duos de Hibernia Ab­bates ut adhuc certior fierem super his con­veni, quorum unus quod nū ­quam in patriâ suâ talia audi­erat respondit, alius verò quod multoties hrc audierit, & quod essent omnia vera af­finuavit: Sed & hoc testatus est quod idem Purgatoriū ra­rò quis intran­tium redit. He-Salter. Mansc­in Bibl. Reve­rendissimi Pat. Iacobs Arma­chani. Neither is Henry himselfe fully satisfied in it, howsoever credulous enough, but desireth further satisfaction therein: Therefore, to use his owne words, [Page 35] when I did heare of all these things, I did conferre with two Abbots of Ireland, desiring to be better informed of these things. One of them answered, that he never heard of the like things in his Countrey. But the other affirmed, that he had often heard of them; saying, that all of them were true: and further adding, that seldome any of those that went into that Purgatory did ever returne. Which last, were it true, we might well suspect some foule dealing making some of the Pilgrimes away secretly to confirme their fabulous Legend.

And whereas this Relator strayneth so farre as to say, that few of them returned who went into that Purgato­ry: Wee must imagine that there were but few that would adventure thither. For if many did goe in and but few returned, how commeth that mincing of the num­ber, before supra p. 8. l. t. s. that some have gone in who never returned, or that other; sup p. 11. l. t. c. that there were two companies lost, and that a third is yet to be taken away: not two onely, not a small' some, but most perished if this be true.

Yet before we proceed further, let us heare Thomas Messingam, how hee doth render these words out of Henry. Ego verò (inquit) Salte­riensis, post­quam haec om­nia audieram duos de Hiber­nia Abbates ut adhuc certior fierem super his conveni, quo­rum unus quod omnia essent vera affirmavit; sed & hoc testatus est, quod multi qui intraverunt non sunt reversi. Roth. apud Thom. Mess. de Purg. sanct. Patr. cap. 12. pag. 108. num. 63. But when I (saith Salteriensis) had heard all these things I consulted with two Irish Abbots concer­ning the same, whereof one of them answered that all these things were true; and testified further, that many who went in, did never returne: In Henry's words it is, that seldome any returned: in his, that many returned not, by the ambiguity thinking to hide the other: But this is not all. We did heare but one of those Abbots speake; what said the other? of that not a word in Messingam: and why? because hee did not speake to the purpose: For hee had said, that in his Countrey he did heare no such thing. This is omitted, and silently passed over, as fearing it might [Page 36] raise some scruple in the businesse, which hee desired should runne smoothly without any rub.

Henry proceedeth, Nuper etiam Episcopū quē ­dam alfatus sū Nepotem san­cti Pauicij sertij socij san­cti Malachiae Florentinum' nomine in cu­ [...]us [...] patu [...] livit [...] Pur­ga [...], de [...] curio­rus [...]ē, [...] pis­ [...] Certè [...]ater versi est: [...]s autem il­le in Episcopa­ [...] meo ess, & multi pereunt in eodem Pur­gatorio, & qui ortè redeunt, ob innanitatem tormentorum quae passi sunt, languore, sive pallore diutur­no pallescunt. Henr. Salter. Mss [...]t supra. Lately also did I speake with one who was Nephew of Patrick the third of that name, the Companion of Saint Malachias, by name Florentianus, in whose Bishopricke as he said that Purgatory was. Hence we gather him to be Bishop of Clogher, for there that Iland is Infra cap. 2. p. 44. lit c of whom having curious [...]y enquired, he answe­red, truly Brother that place is within my Bishopricke, and many miscarry in that Purgatory: and they that per­chance returne (it was but a chance) did by reason of the extreamitie of the torments which they endured al­wayes looke pale, through a continuall languor, & wannesse. Than which what more ridiculous? how many thou­sands have gone in thither, that never saw any torment, or sight, other than what a fantasticall braine could pre­sent in a dreame? or that ever changed colour for the matter, if they blushed not rather at the foolishnesse of the reports. Infra pag. 36. [...]. s. But of this more hereafter.

Where we see Henry's grounds, hee is first told it by Gilbert, and confirmed in it by Florentianus; de­mand their cause of knowledge, and Gilbret telleth you the report was made to him by Owen himselfe; whom if you will beleeve you may, for there are we at the height of our evidence. Now what reason Salteriensis had to rely on the credit of these men, so much as he did, will appeare, in that these two were his Tutors and instru­ctors, whose words he must not question; Henricus Salteriersis Monachus Anglus, Ordinis Cisterciensis qui à Florentian [...] Hibernorum Episcopo, & Gilberto de Luda Cisterciensium Monachorum Abbate, bonas litteras & op [...]nabene vivendi praecepta didicit. Thom. Messing. Prasat. ad Lectorem prefixa, tractat. de Purgatorie sancti Patricij, pag. 87. Henry of Sal­try an English Monke of the Cistercian Order, was by Florentianus an Irish Bishop, and Gilbert of Luda Ab­bot of the Cistercian Monkes instructed in learning, and in the precepts of good living, as it is in Messingam, with [Page 37] whom agreeth Iohn Pits, Partim in suo Monasterio partim à Flo­rentiano Hi­bernorum Epi­scopo, & à Gil­berto de Luda Cisterciensium Monachorum Abbate bonas litteras & opti­ma bene vivē ­di praecepta di­dicit. Iohau. Pit­sius de il lustrib. Brit. scrip. aetate 12. Partly in his owne Monaste­rie, partly by Florentianus an Irish Bishop, & Gilbert of Luda Abbot of the Cistercians, hee was instituted in learning and in the rules of well living: of whom also Bale us thus: De ipso scri­bitur quod fue­rit cujusdam Florentiani hi­bernorum Epi­scopi impostu­ris delusus at (que) Gilberti de Lu­da (ò sancta so­cietas) Abbatis Cisterciensis institutipraesti­gijs doceptus, Johan. Balaeus Cent. de script. Brit. cap. 77. [...]it. Hen. Salter. p. 189. Of him (speaking of Henry) it was writ­ten that he was deluaèd by the impostures of one Floren­tianus a Bishop of the Irish, and deceived by the cunning of Gilbert of Luda (O holy society!) Abbot of the Ci­stercian Order. Neither, for ought I see, is he unwilling to be deceived in this point, it being that which of all others best fitted his humour, and was most agreeable to the imagination of the man, for Quia videbat homines plerumque magis poenae timore quam virtutis amore à vitijs deterreri; populo inculcare consueverat, nihil inquinatum in­trare posse in regnum coelorum, at (que) adco omni peccato debitam suam poenam & pri­us secundam divinam justitiam satisfaciendum pro delictis vel in hoc saeculo bene fa­ciendo, vel in Purgatorio supplicia patiendo, quam cuipiam qui peccati maculam ali­quando contraxit pateat adirus in aeternum celestis beatitudinis refrigerium; unde & scripsit ad Henricum Abbatem de Sartis super Purgatorio sancti Patricij librum unum, de poenis Purgatorij librum unum. Thom. Messing. ibid. quo supra he did perceive that for the most part, men were rather terrified from vice by the feare of punishment, than drawne by the love of vertue, and therefore was hee accustomed to teach the people that nothing defiled, can enter into the Kingdome of heaven, and that punishment is so due to sinne, that whosoever is stay­ned with any spot of sinne must satisfie the divine justice for his fault, eyther in this life by well doing, or in Pur­gatory by enduring punishment, before he can have an en­trance into that everlasting refreshing of heavenly happi­nesse. And hence it was that he did write unto Henry Ab­bot de Sartis, one Booke of Saint Patricks purgatory, and one other Booke of the paines of Purgatory, * saith the same Messingam: you see the occasion, & that agreeable to what Salteriensis himselfe writeth to the same Abbot, Quoniam B. Pa­pam Gregorium legimus multa dixisle, de his quae erga animas fiunt terrenis exutas corporibus ut & tristibus negligentium animos terreret & laetis justorum affectum ac devotionem in­flammaret, fi­ducialius quod jubes ad perfe­ctum supplici­um perficiam. Hen. Salter. pre­log. in Purg. san­cti Patricij ad Henricum Ab­batenide Sartia. Because we read that holy Pope Gregory hath spoken of ma­ny [Page 38] things done to soules separated from their earthly bodie; by which he would terrifie the mindes of the negli­gent with fearefull relations: and with the report of what things are pleasant to inflame the affections of the just to devotion, therefore will I perfect that more faithfully which you require for the benefit of the simple. Fit indeed for the simple; so that I may easily bee induced to beleeve the Character of the man, aptly given by Baleus as most sutable to him. Henry of Saltry Henric Sal­terienfis Bene­dictinus Mona­chus in Hun­tingdonēsi co­mitatu & natus & educatus, ab ipsis ferè incu­nabulis totus superstitioni deditus fuit, post sui Bene­dicti professio­nem Aristoteli­cas inventio­nes edoctus, Chymaeram fa­brica [...] ex ipsis Idais Platoni­cis affabre no­vit. Purgatorij fulciendi gra­tia ingeniosus artifex factus, Gregorij mag­ni Dialogorun. quatuor libros, quatuor Evan­geliorum loco [...], Aetnae [...] montis adjutus incendio. Iohan. Baelaeus ubi supr. a Benedictine Monke, was borne and educated in Huntington-shire, he was from his Cradle almost wholly given to superstition, together with his profession of his Benedict, having learned Ari­stotles inventions by the helpe of Platoe's Ideas, he knew well how to frame a Chymera, by the assistance of the fire of flaming mount Aetna, and the foure Bookes of Gre­gory the great, which as the foure Gospels hee esteemed, he did become a cunning maker of a Purgatory. Thus you see how fit an Author we have found for this subject, to whom all appeale; a fit scholler for two such Tutors, as Florentianus and Gilbert, he himselfe being deceived; and of such that rule is true, nimis credulus minus creden­dus. But yet hee is not willing so to bee, that he might deceive others. Yet must not this be thought a fault in these men; these piae fraudes being by them esteemed of no small use in religion, especially towards the simple, and of this sort doth Stephanus Forcatulus accompt this Purgatory, making the thing it selfe as it is, but a meere scarre-crow: Forte Patricius inter [...] & efferatos populos lepido Commento usus fuerat, quo magis eos à pec­catis detereret ut ultricem adesse pené domi ostenderet. [...] ▪ [...]. de [...] ▪ [...] de [...] ▪ 7. It may be (saith he) that among the fierce and wilde people, Patricke used this witty de­vice, by which he might the better terrifie them from their sinnes, by shewing that they had at their owne home a Revenger. And indeed for simple people (for whom Sal­teriensis saith hee intended it) who might be like chil­dren [Page 39] affrighted with Bug-beares, there could not bee a fitter subject chosen, or invented than this Purgatorie: If we could tell how to make truth and falshood con­sist: But as I said, here may be seene how partiall an Au­thor we have met for this Purgatory; and his owne affections occasioneth his credulity, men easily beleeving what they would have to be; You see his credulitie, being a stranger, wrought upon by two cunning Impesters; he in the meane time shutting his eyes, and not examining how probably it might be questioned, as it was by those that did contradict it to himselfe, we see lastly on how sandy a foundation all this is layd; the bare word (if not fiction) of that Knight, I may well say in this case, Knight of the Poste, who after so much fasting and stirre, and being shut up twenty foure houres in that Cave, might well be ashamed to returne without some newes, which he had time and place enough to make; neyther neede he doubt to make them credible, none being willing to con­tradict (if they could) considering the age it selfe most addicted to the entertayning of visions and revelations, of which this Purgatory affordeth matter more than enough. All which considered, it cannot be wondred why Ioceline (of whom before) living after this Henry, yet would not take notice of this Purgatory, notwith­standing all the noyse and bussing at this time for it. But the wonder still remayneth, if it were true that this Pur­gatory was of Saint Patricks foundation, that it should not be spoken off seven hundred yeares after: and when it was set on foote, being enquired after on all hands what it was, and how true: there being at hand some who came out of Ireland, and they religious men too; that did disavow there, somuch as hearing of any such thing in their countrie, as we have seene reported to Salteriensis, whose voyces must be cryed downe, and quite rased out of all Records, as farre as in these men doth lye, as was shewed before: Neyther will it suffice to say, that these contradictions have relation onely to [Page 40] the history of the Knight, without trenching on other Pilgrimages which might bee besides. For besides the sound of the words themselves, quod nunquam talia audierat, supr. p. 28. li [...]. [...]. that hee never heard the like things in his countrey: we shall finde that the things happening to this Knight are no other than what wee read almost verbatins in others, that were said since to have gone into this Purgatorie: and for the greater credit of the bu­sinesse, we are often told, that Matth. Paris. ubi supra. in Saint Patricks owne dayes many went in thither, who reported what grievous torments they did suffer, and that they had there found joyes great and unspeakeable; whose actions being recor­ded in the Abbey of that Purgatory must bee supposed to be the ground on which they who instruct the Pil­grimes tell them, what is to bee done, and what shall befall unto them, for so saith the Director of the Spa­nish Viscount of whom after: These things have wee heard to have happened to those who have returned from Purgatory. The instructions then given, being the same here given by the Prior to our Knight in his pilgrimage (if we thinke him not to be rapt with a Propheticall spirit, like one of Apollo's Pristes) for we doe not read of any of themselves that have undertaken the labour to goe into that Purgatory to tell us any thing by their owne experience; it being enough to make others ri­diculous and not themselves, his directions are these: Ecce nunc intrabis in no mine JESV Christi & per concavitatem speluncae tam­diu ambulabis donec in cam­pum exiens, aulam invenies artificiossime fabricatā; quā cum ingressus fueris, statim ex parte Dei nuncios habe­bis qui tibi piè quid facies in­dicabunt. Mat. Pa [...]s. supra pag. 84. Behold thou shalt now enter in the name of IESUS CHRIST, and shalt walke through the concavitie of the Cave, untill going out in a large field, thou shalt finde an Hall most artificially built, into which having entred, immediately thou shalt meete messengers sent to thee from God, who shall tell thee what thou hast to doe. What after-Pilgrimages report are such things, and like things to these said to happen to the Knight, and what the Knight saw and felt, are such things and like things to what others are said to see, and felt, and reported themselves to have seene and felt before. And yet such [Page 41] things did that Abbot with whom Henry consulted say he never did heare of in his countrey: a matter very un­likely, if eyther they were so frequent, or at all; and if we should restraine it onely to this pilgrimage of the Knight, why should it not rather bee first knowne in Ireland before it did flie to forraigne Nations, if (which I rather beleeve) the Knight might not want confidence of opening himselfe therein at home, and so nigh, where he might be laughed out of his dreame; and therefore rather chuseth to begin abroad: that winning credit there, the newes might returne more authenticall: it being a shame to deny what the world proclaymeth, and more wisedome (though otherwise) for the Natives to dissemble it, then to loose the repute, the Nation may have abroad, by the supposing of their having so ad­mirable and strange a Monument among them, it be­ing the honour of the countrey: as after.

We loose time therefore, while wee expect to finde the originall of this Purgatory from Saint Patricke, or any of the Patricks. Wee have hitherto seene nothing that could induce us to beleeve it: and it hath appeared how groundlesse their faith is, who are misled by so ge­nerall a tradition, that it is of Saint Patricks owne Fre­ction, which to contradict were the true Symptome of a frenzie, if we should appeale to them. And yet notwith­standing all this confidence, we shall see the cause shame­fully deserted at last, for having wearied themselves, la­bouring in vaine to make Saint Patricke the Author of it, they give over the search; miserably begging the que­stion, that if we would grant them the thing, they will not much contend for the founder. It is Messingams last resolution, after he had put himselfe out of breath, Nisi veritati indagandae stu­duissemus non esset quod tan­topere de hujus purgatorij Au­thorealtercare mur, an non sa­tis nobis foret illud ab aliquo quisquis tandē ille sit, inventū esse tam singu­lari Dei privi­legio patriam nostram gau­dere tam (que) sa­lutari benefi­cio nostrates frui? [...] Mess. praef. ad lect. praefix [...]t [...]act. de Purg. S. Patr. pag. 87. Had wee not laboured for sifting the Truth saith hee (which how happily hee hath performed hath beene seene) We needed not to quarrell so much as we doe about the Author of this Purgatory: Is it not sufficient that we have it, by whomsoever it were found out? And that [Page 42] our countrey dath enjoy from God, so singular a Priviledge, so saving a benefit? But speake freely without these [...]. Was Saint Patricke the Author of it, or was hee not? he was not: For so have wee it at last confessed by the same Messingham. Hoc si ad ve­ritatē accedat ut locū esse de­mus ante Pa­tricium natū, quod etiam hi­storia Militis infra describē ­da non obscurè insinuat, quae sic habet. Vnde dum Patricius pro salute po­puli in jeju­nijs, vigilijs (que) & orationibus positus Domi­num praecare­tur perpensius; [...]ius Dei filius apparēs [...]i, du­ [...]c cum in lo­cum desertum, [...] ostendit illi speluneam [...] & ob­seur [...]m [...] in­secu [...], &c. id. ib. If it bee true that wee grant the place to have beene before Patricke was borne, which al­so the history of the Knight, to bee after described, doth plainely insinuate. This is something plainer than before, although yet with too much reservation: but let him go forward. The history is this: Wherefore while Saint Pa­trick by fasting, watching, and prayer was earnestly pray­ing; the holy Sonne of God appeared to him, and leading him to a desert place, did shew to him a Cave, which was round and darke within, &c. Which hath this marginall note, Ergo ante fa­ctam in margi­ne ibid. therefore was it made before. And heare, that which before wee heard [...] p. 20. l. [...]. of Saint Patrick's making a Circle with the staffe of I [...]SVS within which the earth did open, by which Saint Patricke was made the finder of this Purgatory: This (I say) is now rejected, and just­ly, for the former reasons: But to shut Saint Patricke thus out of this businesse will not doe well, by leaving it indifferent to some other to be the Author of it. [...]or let this be granted, and it will be demanded, Why then it should be called Saint Patrick's Purgatory, if not so? And if it be not so: then, Why may we not as well doubt of the Truth of all the rest of the reports as of that? For much, or most, of the reverence this place hath gayned was from hence, that it was still esteemed to be Saint Patrick's Purgatory. Was it not then high time thinke you, for him to runne hard that commeth next in to helpe the matter: By whom, we are told, that although the place were before Saint Patricke, and that hee was onely the finder of it, Non [...] ad celebrē religi­onis usum an­tea suit accō ­modatus, Rich. Stanihurst in­vitesanct▪ Pat. [...] 2. Yet was not the place before then accommodated to any solemne religious use: So that in respect at least of the use of it, Saint Patricks may be still thought to be the Author.

But neither will this bee allowed as altogether true [Page 43] if the religious use of it bee extended to superstition: In which sence it may perhaps be thought to be aswell before, as after Saint Patricke, frequented and esteemed; and the former fictions to be the ground of what follow­ed; for therewant not some, who make Ulysses the founder of it, out of these Verses of Est locus extremum pandit qu [...] Galli [...] [...]. Occani praetent us Aquis, [...] Vly [...] Sanguine [...]ibate p [...]pulum m [...]c [...] Illic umbrarum [...] [...]dore [...]tum Flebi [...] auditus questus: simul [...]ra coloni Pallida, defunctas (que) vident migrare figur [...]. Claudian. lib. in Russinum fol. 39. [...]. Claudian.

Into this place doth Seephanus Forcatadus make Arthur King of the Britaines to enter when hee saith, Specum lon­go recess [...] opa­cum Rex invi­sere non est gra­vatus, & relicto spiritu libero in illum se dimittere, in quem nullum discrimen diei & noctis perveniret, relictâ in tergo luce descensu aspero, de [...]llvi itinere & [...] assiduis diffuso naturâ prorsus & fabulâ memorando. Ferebatur enim ad Ma­nes pervius specus vel certè ad locum in quo animae eorum qui dum viverent sese vi­tijs ac labe aliqua [...]ibili inquinaverunt recocti expolirentur ut purga [...] & hilarts inde in caelum evolarent. Forte Particius inter immanes & efferatos populos lepido commento usus fuerat, quo magis cos à pecca [...]is deterreret, & ultricem a [...] [...] do­ [...] ostenderet. Imbutus numiue Merlinus specum Patricij Vlyssi in dec [...] illis erroribus in Hibernia acto adscripsit. Effo [...]um quidem primum Vlyssis ense ad cubi­ti mensuram, [...] circulum al [...]ssime impressum successu temporis increvasse. Quod profecto non [...] à [...] [...]. N [...]m inferos allocuturum Vlyssem Homerus [...] (O [...]. [...]) [...] [...] Occani ivisse & foveam secisse memorabilem, [...] ▪ id quod [...] Cla [...]dianus, Est locus extremum, &c. Ex to [...]egress [...]n. Furiam Mageram Poeta [...] Ruffino dete [...]ana persuasuram. Steph. Forca [...]. de [...]. I [...]per. & Philip. lib, [...] ▪ [...]. 1007. 1008. The King did take the paines, to visit the Den, which [...]at long and darke, into which he put himselfe, having left the open ayre; There is not there any vicissitude of light, and darkenesse, but the descent rough and steepe, with a con­tinued [Page 44] darkenesse, as remarkeable by nature as fabulous; For through that Hole, there was a passage to the place of Spirits, or where the Soules of them are purged, who whiles they lived, poluted themselves with vice, and such staines as might bee washed away: That being purged from all offences, they might thence joyfully fly into Hea­ven. In which words our Author, seemeth to deliver onely what the opinions of others were of this place: whereas hee himselfe esteemed it no otherwise than as a Bugg-beare, for so it followeth. It may be Pa­tricke made use of this witty device, to terrifie the cruell, and fierce people from committing sinne, shewing them a Revenger to bee so neere at hand. But to goe forward that we may finde out the Originall of it, Forcatulus bringeth in Merline the Welch-prophet, informing the King herein. Merline being divinely inspired, ascribed this Cave of Patrick's to Vlysses being in his travels so­much spoken of driven into Ireland; As, that first, Vlysses had with his Sword digged it about a Cubit deepe, and that after in processe of time, the Hole was inlarged, is sinking to a great depth, of which Forcatulus thus. And truely this is not farre from truth, for Homer (Odyss. 11.) saith, that Vlysses being desirous to consult with infernall spirits, went to a place neere to the flowing of the Seas, and that there hee made a memorable Pit, or Hole, to which also Claudian hath reference, Est locus extremum, &c. where the Verses before are cited. Out of this place the Poet faigneth Maegera the Fury, to come and perswade Ruffinus to unhappie courses. Hitherto For­catulus to whom let us adde Iohannes Camers on So­linus Sunt qui ex­istanant hunc cum locum esse quem specum D. Patricij ejus regionis inco­lae nominant, de quo mira, & prope fabulosa narrantur. Ioh. Camers Con [...] ad Solini Polybist. cap. 35. in An­ [...]ot. pag. 165. speaking of that place in Claudian. There are that thinke this to bee the same place, which the Inha­bitants of that Region doe name Saint Patrik's Purgato­ry, of which strange things, and almost fabulous are re­ported. By which Solinus, as Forcatulus before, would conclude that Vlysses had beene driven into Ireland: for the truth whereof I will not contend.

[Page 45] Yet how neere these two, (I had almost said fables) doe agree who seeth not, and that as in other particu­lars of which hereafter, principally in the manner of the making of the place, both by Ulysses and Patricke, the one with his Sword, the other with his Staffe: Supr. p. 20. lit. m. so neere that the one seemeth to have beene raysed out of the other, to use the words of one comparing this Purga­tory with Trophonius his Cave, Erasmus in Adag: de An­tro Trophonij pag. 440. which two, who so com­pareth shall finde no two things more like. We have the fiction in Plutarch, of Timarchus his going into that place: Hic cum dae­moni Socratis quae vis esset co gnoscere gesti­ret in Tropho­nij Mante [...] so­lennibus per­actis descēdit, cum haesisset in­specu duas no­ctes & diemiac multi eum jam pro deplorato haberēt, & cō ­plorarent fa­miliares ejus, summo dilucu­lo, fronte per­quam laeta pro­dijt, ac postquā salutaverit ve­nerabūdus De­um, & expli­cuit se turba hominum, mul­ta nobis vidisse se & audivisse miranda memoravit. Narravit postquam descendit in Manteum effus­sum se primum multa fuisse caligine, tum deorsum aciem demisisset vastum apparuis­se hiatum rotundum sicut Globi carinati mirè horribilem & profundum—unde ex­audiri infinitos rugitus & gemitus animantium, infinitorum ploratum, puerorum permixtorumque virorum & foeminarum ejulatus, strepitus varios, & tumulius ex al­to procul obscuros sublatos, quibus se non mediocriter perculsum. Plutach. de [...]. Thebis, & Socratis Damonio, ex translat. Hermanni, Crus. Basil. 1573. pag. 778. He desirous to know the power of Socrates his Demon—went into Trophonius his Den; all solemnitie first performed, where having continued two nights and one day, and many giving up for lost, his familiars al­so bewayling him; earely in the morning hee came out with a chearefull countenance. And after he had devoutly worshipped God, and rid himselfe from the throng of people, he told us of many strange things by him seene and heard. He related that when hee descended into the Pit, hee was at the first compassed with darknesse—that after looking downewards, he saw a vast gaping, and that round like an hollow Globe, but very horrible and deepe—whence were heard infinite roarings and groanings of living creatures, Children crying, with Men, and Women pitifully wayling together: noyses and undistinct tumults were heard a farre off, by which hee said hee was exceedingly terrified. All the passages are too many here to bee inserted, which if they were compared with some one of the pilgrima­ges into this Purgatory, I needed not trouble the Reader with any paral [...]ell betweene them, they would of them­selves [Page 44] [...] [Page 45] [...] [Page 46] so plainely appeare to be so like, that hee might well joyne in opinion with Erasmus: Plutarchus in Commenta­rio de Daemo­nio Socratis narrat Timar­chum quendā in Trophonij specum ingres­sum postquam illinc redisset, prodigiosa di­ctu narrasse si­bi visa. Non abhorrentia ab ijs quae Beda & nonnulli Christiani scri­ptores de infe­tis proderant: Quae quidem Trophonij fa­bula mihi adeo videtur similis ei quae de Pa­ [...]icij Antro quod est in Hi­bernia fertur, ut altera ex al­tera nata credi possit. Erasmus ubi supra. Plutarch (saith he) in his Commentarie on Socrates his Demon, doth tell of on Timarchus, that entred into Trophonius his Cave, who being thence returned, related himselfe to have seene many things, prodigious to be spoken: Not unlike what Bede and other Christian writters report of those that have appeared: with whom agreeth that Caveat and Censure of Can [...]s. Lector admonendus est, ne illi statim persuasum sit, omnia quae magni Authores scripserint, undique esse perfecta: nam labuntur interdum & one [...]i caedant, vulgoque interdum indulgent. Quae ego eadem de Beda & Gregorio jure fortasse dicere pos­sum: quorum isse in Historia anglorum, hic in Dialogis quaedam miracula vulgo ja­ctata & credita seribit; Equidem Historias istas probarem mag [...], [...] eorum authores juxta praefinitam normam sev [...] ju [...]ij curam in eligendo majorem adjunxissent. M [...]. Can [...]s, lot. Theol. lib. 11. [...]. 6. pag. 337. The Reader is to be admonished, not to take for granted that whatsoever Authors of great est [...]eme have written is to be therefore absolute, for some­times they fayle and fall under their burden: Sometimes also they give themselves to please the vulgar. The which things may justly say of Bede and Gregory, the one in his History of England, the other in his Dialogues writting certaine miracles commonly knowne and bele [...] ­ved. Truely I should have allowed those Histories the more, had the Authors of them, according as they ought, to the gravitie of their judgements joyned care in making choyce of their matter: hitherto Ca [...]s. But for that of Timarchus, Erasmus proceedeth, which fable of Tra­phonius cruely seemeth unto me so like to that which is of Saint Patrick's Cave, that it may be beleeved, the one to have raysed out of the other. Neyther will the con­jecture seeme unlikely, if we but compare them in one particular, passing by, or rather referring the rest to another place.

Olim [...]um est eum qui in Trophonij spec [...] descendisset postea nunquam ridere; hinc in Tro [...] antro va­ticinatus est de homine vehementer tristi [...]que. Erasm. ibidem. It was anciently beleeved, saith the same Erasmus, that who went into Trophonius his Cave, would neuer after laugh; Hence to say of a man that hee hath prophe­sied [Page 47] in Trophonius his Den, was in effect the same, arte call him a very melancholy and cra [...]ed man; And doe wee not finde the same reported of S. Patrick's Purga­tory? Qui de [...] ­dunt aiunt [...]bi ridendi libidi­nem in omni vir [...] adempta. id. ibid. They who descend thither say, th [...] all their life af­ter they have no desire to laugh, in which Erasmus agreeth with that of Iacobus de Vitriace. In [...] [...] quidam [...] qui Purgatorium fancti Patriei [...] nuncupatur, si [...] [...] in­gressus fuerte ni verè poeni­tens & contri­tus fuerit, sta­tim à Daemoni­bus captus & necatus, nun­quam posse [...] revertitur: qui autem verè cō ­tritus & con­fessus ingredi­tur per ignem & aquam & mille genera tormentorum [...] Daemonibus correptus, ibi­dem purgatur, qui autem am­plius deliquie acerbius in eodem loco punitur, qui autem [...] praedicto loco purgatue regreditur nun­quam ridere potest, vel Iudere, vel aliqua quae in mundo sunt diligere, sed semper lu­gens & gemens posteriorum oblitus in anteriora se extendit, Iacob. de Vitriac [...] in Hist. O [...] cap. 92. pag. 216. 217. There is a place in Ireland called Saint Patrick's Purgatory, hee that [...] into it not being truely penitent and [...], is presently snatcht away, and killed by divels, nover more to bee seene: But being truly contrite and confessed, he shall bee there purged: being drawne through fire and water, and a thou­sand kinde of torments. And he that shall si [...]e after this, shall in the same place be more cruelly punished: But hee that returneth from that Purgatory and is purged, can ne­ver after laugh, play, or [...]ve any thing in this world, but alwayes [...]menting and greaning, forgetting the things that were behinde, he wholly addresseth himselfe what is before. Thus Vitriatus: of which Roth giveth this Censure. Haec plerumque non esse veritate subn [...] [...] de specu nun [...] cognito & frequentato sermo fre [...]u [...]u quotidiano doc [...]ur. Multi enim qui iteratis vicibus Purgatorij. Antrum subierunt, & [...] regressi ludunt, rident, cha [...] nantur in saeculo cum saecularibus versantur, tractantque negotia hujus mundi non se­cu [...] ac ingressi hunc locum na [...] [...], [...] de [...]rg. S. [...]. edit à Them. M [...]. pag. 93. [...]. 17. That these things for the most part are not true: We are thought [...]y common experience, if he speake of that Cave which is not knowne and frequented; for many there are who have gone thither againe and againe, who being returned play, laugh, and that heartily too, they converse in the world with worldlings, and goe about their worldly affaires, [...] otherwise than if they had never gone thither; Then which there can be nothing more certaine; But why doth he so mince the matter, if it be so? Is it not true, for the most [...] saith he, nay not true a [...] [...]; which cannot be denied; [Page 48] See then his avoydance. Sin auté Vi­triacus loqua­tur, nō de prae­senti & conspi­cabili, sed de altero illo de­litescéti & ab­scondito pur­gatorio, &c. De re ipfa nihil statuo, id. ibid. num. 18. But whether Vitriacus doth speake of this present and visible Purgatory, or of that other which is hidden, &c. I will not determine any thing. It is not yet determined that there is such an hidden Pur­gatory, and to suppose it, is to begge the question of which more after, Sup. pag. 28. li [...]. [...]. Neyther was it fit that hee should determine any thing in this, for so in confuting Vitriacus, he had falne foule on Florentianus one of Salteriensis his good Tutors, who taught the same that Vitriacus doth here, as was seene before. But, why spend wee so much time in searching after the originall of this fiction? Fit­ter surely it is to be rancked, as it is, with heathenish and Poeticall figments, and with Fortunatus his Purse and Cap, than to be obtruded to Christians to bee beleeved. Where because we have named that Fable of Fortunatus, if the Reader can with patience peruse it, hee shall finde his going into Saint Patrick's Purgatory with Leopol­dus his servant. There Fortunatus his fabulous hi­stor. cap. 15. may you have the descripti­on of the place with the whole story of Saint Patrick's finding it at first. The relations made to him of those that had gone in before: his asking leave to enter accor­ding to the Custome with many other Circumstances ob­servable in that Pilgrimage: and what there happened unto him; Also lively representing what wee read of other Pilgrimages justly deserved to be reserved in the Abbey with the rest of those Supia pa [...]. who did enter, in Saint Pa­trick's owne time. For I beleeve if the matter were narrowly sifted, this and they will be found to be of one stampe, and done much about the same time; a place al­so wee may afford it in Ariosto in Orlando Furiose where wee finde this memory of it.

[Page 49] And here may M. Burton for his deep search into the se­crets of Nature be fitted with a place such as we could wish: M. Burton of the causes of me­lancholy, part. 2. sect. 2. memb. 3. pag. 246. I would (saith he) have a convenient place to goe downe with Orpheus, Vlysses, Hercules, Lucians, Menippus at Saint Patrick's Purgatory, at Trophonius denne, Hecla in Island, Aetna in Sicily to descend and see what is done in the bowels of the earth. But I proceed to what re­mayneth: That seeing we cannot sinde the Author of it, which Messingam conceiveth not to bee so materiall, yet that we see the use of it, and why it is called a Purgatory.

Wee have before seene the solemnitie and strictnesse of Sect. 4. Why it is cal­led a purgatory of the Pilgrimage, so great paines deserveth some great and large benefit. And greater cannot be, if that be true which Ranulphus reporteth (and yet but by heare say) of it: Polychron. lib. 1. cap. 35 sol. 45. 2. translated by T [...]sa. There is Saint Patrick's Purgatory, that was shew­ed at his prayers to confirme his preaching and his lore, when he preached to misbeleeved, of sorrow and paine, that evill men should suffer for her wicked workes, and of joy and blisse that good men shall receive for her holy deeds: He telleth that who so suffereth the paines of that Purgatory, if it be enjoyned him for penance, he shall never suffer the paines of Hell, but he shall die finally without repentance of sinne, as the example is set more fully out at the Chap­ters end. Where he speaketh of the History of Owen the Knight of whom before. But his translator Trevisa teach­eth us better doctrine. Iohn T [...]sa ibid. in Poly [...]. But truly no man may be saved, but if he be very repentant whatsoever penance he doe. And every man that is very repentant at his lives end shall be sickerly saved, though he never heare of Saint Patricks pur­gatory; What the effects are of the suffering those paines of which Ranulphus did speake, we were before told by Vitriacus. Vitria [...]t ubi supra p. 47. lit. [...]. That it purgeth him that undergo­eth them: But it was not for purging men that Saint Pa­tricke did intend it, for they of the ancientest, that make Saint Patricke the founder of it, speake onely of that in­fernall fire of the damned, not of any purging flames, of which Giraldus Cambrensis thus. De infernali­bus nam (que) re­proborum p [...] ­nis, & de verà post mortē per­petu â que Ele­ctorū vità, vir sanctus cū gen­ce incredala cū di putasset, ut tanta tam inusi­tava, tam inopi­nabilis reru [...] novitas rudi­bus infideliam animis oculata side certius im­primeretur ef­ficaci orationū instantia, mag­nam & admira­bilem utrius (que) tei notitiā du­rae cervicis po­pulo perutilem meruit in [...] obtinere. Giral. [...]ambr. Topogr. Hiber. distinct. 2. cap. 5. While the Holy Man [Page 50] disputed with that incredulous nation of the infernall paine of the reprobate, and the eternall and true life of the Elect after death, that so great, so unusuall, so strange a no­veltie might, by what they should see, make a sure impres­sion in the mindes of these infidels, through great feruen­cy of prayers he deserved to obtaine for that stiffe-necked people, the great, admirable, and profitable demonstration of both upon Earth; a demonstration of both saith hee, that is of eternall blisse and joy, which who will say is seene, or found in Purgatory a place of torment? And the torments also of which he made demonstration, was of that which they doubted, the infernall paines of the reprobate. And thus much did Thyraeus speake before: Guil. Thyraeus [...] [...]. de sancti Pa [...] p. 150. de quo supra pag. 17. [...] [...]. That these incredulous men doubting of the paines and punishment of the damned, and requiring some visible de­monstration of it, hee made a Circle in the earth, &c. As for that other, Supra pag. 25. lit. p. That God had further revealed to Saint: Patricke, that in that place there was a purgatory, of which before, it is but a late fancie, and on better con­siderations brought in to helpe the matter. Now that the eternall torments of Hell should purge, is surely a new thing, and such as none of them, I suppose, will take upon him to defend. This is that (if any) that was shewed by Saint Patricke, neyther did he but shew it, to terrifie those that doubted of them, which needed not to continue, the worke being finished, and they now beleeving.

Yet let it be supposed, that in that place the paines of Purgatory may be understood, and that not the reprobate, but the truely contrite is there purged, being by Divels drawne through fire and water, and a thousand dangers, as Vitriacus would have it. S [...] [...]. 47. [...]. 1. Yet I hope they will not say that this Fire or Water, or I cannot tell what thousand dangers doe purge them that suffer them not: And will they say, that all who in our dayes goe into this Purga­torie, doe lye frying in such flames, or be frozen in water, or runne any such dangers at all? Sure I thinke they will not. And if any should, common experience would [Page 51] crie them downe: Since the writing hereof, saith Cam­pian the Iesuite, Ed [...]. Campian Ies. Hist. Ireland lib. 1. cap. 13. I met with a Priest, who told mee that he had gone that pilgrimage, and affirmed the order of the premisses, but that for his owne part he saw no sight in the world, save onely fearefull dreames when hee chanced to nodd, and they said hee were exceeding horrible. Neyther is it thus onely in these dayes, but if wee looke ma­ny ages before, it will bee found no otherwise, and well may it be doubted if ever it were more. Iohn Stow in his Annals of England hath a discourse to this purpose of Iohn Froissart the French Historian, who lived Ann [...] 1395. about 244. years since, & after Henry of Saltry 255. much al [...]ut the middle time, it is this: Iohn Stow Annal. of Engl. in Rich. 2. [...] 1395. About this time, Sir Iohn Froissart Chanon of Chymay in the Earledeme of Heynault, as himselfe reporteth, came into England: He demanded of Sir William Lisle, who had beene with the King in Ireland (he meaneth Richard the second) the man­ner of the Hole in Ireland, that is called Saint Patricks purgatory, if it were true that was sayd of it or not: Who an­swered, that such an Hole there was, and that himselfe, and another Knight had beene there while the King lay at Du­blin; and sayd, they entred into the Hole, and were closed in it at the Sunne-set, and abode there all the night, and the next morning issued out againe at the Sunne-rising. Hee said that when hee and his fellow were entred, and past the Gate, that was called the Purgatorie of Saint Patricke, and that they were descended, and gone downe three or foure paces, as into a Cellar, a certaine hot vapour rose against them, and strake so into their heads, that they were faine to fit downe on the stayres which were of stone: And af­ter they had sate there a season, they had great desire to sleepe, and so fell into a slu [...]ber, and slept there all night: In which sleepe they had marvailous dreames, otherwise than they were wont to have in their Chambers, but in the morning after they had issued out, they had cleane forgotten their dreames and visions. Thus Stow of Frois­sart, whose owne relation, if it be rather desired is as [Page 52] followeth. Iohn Froissart [...]. Hist. 4. vol. cap. 61. pag. 192 I John Froissart, knowing peace to be con­cluded by Sea & Land, between the English, & the French, had a great desire to see England, towards which I pre­sently tooke shipping, where having beene some few dayes, I went towards the Court, and by the way chanced in an Inne to meete an English Knight. The next day both of us taking Horse, we did ride together one dayes journey, and in our way discoursing of many things, at last I enquired whether in the last voyage into Ireland, he had accompa­nied the King: He told me he did: Then I demanded of him, whether those things reported of Saint Patricks Cave were true: Hee answering seemed to confirme all that others had reported of it, and that he with another English knight (while they stayd some dayes in Dublin) went to see it, where they were both shut up for a whole night. I asked him if hee did see any strange thing or spectar there. Hee replyed, When I with my Companion had entred the dore of the Cave, which they commonly call aint Patricks Pur­gatory, and descending three or foure steps, so great and suddaine an heate we found in our heads, that we were en­forced to lay us downe on the stone stayres, where sitting, a great drowsinesse tooke us, so that we slept all the night; I enquired whether being in sleepe, they did know where they were: and what visions they saw: Hee answered, that he saw in his sleepe many phantasies and sights, and many other things which as it seemed to him are not wont to be seen by him lying in his bed. All this he affirmed to be true; but when as earely in the morning the dore was opened, and wee were come out, immediately all these fearefull things seene in our sleepe were quite forgotten. Thus he, so that 244. yeares since, we finde none of those reports of going into, I know not what places within this Cave, and tumbling in fire and water and thousands of dangers: But for hel­ping this, one biddeth us not to looke so low, but rather to Saint Patricks time for these things. Qui nostra memorià in hunc sese lo­ [...]um compin­guunt, nullum sibi terrorem inijci sentiunt, nisi fortè arcti­or somnus cō ­plectatur. Sed in primâ Reli­gionis consitu­râ (quo tem­pore miracula ut plurimum crebriora sunt) veri quidem si­mile mihi vide­tur quam plu­rima Idola tru­culenta & ter­ribilia aspectu, solita fuisse poenitentibus ante oculos ob­servari. Rich. Stanib. in vita sancti Patricij lib. 2. pag. 65. Such as in our memory goe into this place (faith hee) are sensible of no terrour, unlesse it may bee they might be surprised with a [Page 53] sound sleepe. But in the first planting of Religion, (at which time Miracles are for the most part most frequent) it seemeth to me likely, that there used to appeare to those peni­tents, many strange and terrible sights. It is but likely, you see, that it might be so in the first age of it, and if then it were so, and that that time might require that miracle for setling Christianitie, yet is it not now requisite: so that whatsoever it was in Saint Patricks time, it is confessed, that now no newes are to be found of Fire & Water and such grievous Torments as wee are borne in hand to bee true, for the purging of those that goe into this Purga­tory, which if now vanished, how then are the pilgrims purged? And if they be not purged, why are they deluded as if they were? Why is this then called a Purgatory? unlesse it bee, as Campian telleth us, Edm. Camp. hist. of Ireland lib. 1. cap. 13. That because de­vout men have resorted thither for penance, and reported at their returne strange visions of paine and blisse, and therefore they call it Purgatory. As if visions of joy and blisse, of torment and paine may be said to purge.

So that now to shut up this first part of this discourse, we have seene, how into nothing this Purgatory is now shruncke and shriveled up: although esteemed vener able for the Author Saint Patricke, and religiously respected for it selfe, as being a Purgatory. But no Saint Patricke can wee finde to father it: And for the Name of a Pur­gatory, we see it turned to smoake; if we may say there is so much as smoake where no Fire is, for so is it heere; Therefore no purging, therefore no Purgatory.

Yet notwithstanding all which; wonderfull it is to consider how much this fiction, (for so wee may now be bold to call it,) hath prevayled, that the whole world almost should bee so bewitched, as to bee deluded by so grosse an Imposture, and amazedly to runne, as it were Hoodwinked after it so farre as it did: and how farre it did so, is that which in the following Chapter, I purpose to dis­cover.

IN the former Chapter, we laboured to finde out the beginning and Originall of that place, commonly called Saint Patricks Purgatory, Sect. 1. The flourish­ing times of S. Patricks purga­tory. of which wee could finde no footesteps for for many ages together, and howsoever it slept for 700. yeares, that is to say, from the yeare 4; 2. if wee begin it with Saint Patricke, to the yeare 1140. about which time wee first read of it in Henry of Saltry, from thence forward notwithstanding it did so strangely rise by de­grees, that all places were full of it, and that also so suddainely, that Cujus loci fa­ma sparsim per­omnes Europae partes volare visa est, &c. Gul [...]l. Thyraeus discurs. panegyr. de mirac. sancti Patr. discurs. 3. pag. 151. The fame of that place did seeme to fly over all the parts of Europe, saith Thyraeus; and as readily did all parts of Europe fly hither unto it. Haec spelunca ab exterarū gē ­tium peregri­nis, summâ jā olim religione frequentabatur Rich. Stanhurst. in vita S. Patr. lib. 2. pag. 65. This Cave being of old, with the greatest devotion frequented by strangers of forraine Nations: saith another. Neither is it so much to bee admired that strangers and such as were further off, should thus be deluded, they trusting to the relations of others herein: But that they who lived nearest to it, even in the same kingdome, should not be able in so long a time to discover the fraud, and finde out the imposture, it is to me a thing of all others most admirable; whereas on the contrary we finde it counte­nanced with the greatest Testimonies of credit, that ey­ther our Church or Common-weale could afford it: and that for some hundreds of yeares after the first rising thereof.

For if a Man would search into the Recordes of England hee might finde testimonials of this nature. I [Page 55] will instance in one which wee meete in the raigne of Edward the third, the Tenour whereof is as followeth. Rex universi [...] & singulis ad quos literae no­strae pervene­rint salutē. No­bilis vit Male­testa Vngarus de Ariminio Miles, ad prae­sentiam nostrā veniens, matu­rè nobis expo­suit, quod ipse à terrae suae de­scendens lari­bus purgatoriū sancti Patricij, infra terram nostram Hiber­niae constitutū in multis cor­poris sui labo­ribus peregre visitaret, ac per integrae diei ac noctis unius continuatum spacium, ut est moris, clausum manserat in eo­dem; nobis cum instantiâ supplicando ut in praemistorum veracius fulcimentum rega­les Literas nostras inde sibi concedere dignaremur. Nos autem ipsius peregrinatio­nis considerantes periculosa discrimina, licet tanti Nobilis in hac parte assertio fit accepta. Quia tamen tam dilecti & fidelis nostri Almarici de sancto Amando Mili­tis Justitiarij nostri Hiberniae quam Prioris & Conventus loci dicti Purgatorij & etiam aliorum authoritatis multae virorum literis alijsque claris evidentijs informa­mur, quod dictus Nobilis peregrinationem suam hujusmodi [...]itè perfecerat, & etiam animose dignum duximus super his authoritatis nostrae testimonium favorabiliter ad­hibere & ut sublato cujuscunque dubitationis involucro praemissorum veritas singu­lis patefiat, has literas nostras sigillo Regio consignatas sibi duximus concedendas. Dat. in Palatio nostro Westmonasterij 24. Octobr. Ex Archivis Regijs in arce Lo [...] ­dinens. asservatis patent. 32. Edw. 3. pag. 2. The King unto all and singular, to whom these Our Let­ters shall come, sendeth Greeting, Maletesta Ungarus, which I doe rather thinke to bee his Sirname, than that hee was an Hungarian, both in respect of his Name, and the place Ariminum, both being in Italy, hee being A noble gentleman and Knight of Ariminum, Comming to our presence declared to us, that hee having left his owne Countrey, had with much labour gone in pilgrimage into Saint Patricks Purgatory in our land of Ireland: And that he continued there shut up as the Custome i [...], one whole day and night, together: Earnestly beseeching us, that for the Confirmation of the truth of the premisses, wee would be pleased to afford him these our Princely Letters: Wee therefore taking into our Consideration, the dangers and hazards in that his pilgrimage, and howsoever the report of so noble a man might be to us sufficient, yet are we fur­ther informed thereof by Letters from our Right trustie and welbeloved Almaricke of Saint Amand Knight, our Iu­stice of Ireland; and from the Pryor and Convent of the said Purgatory, with others of great credit: As also by other cleere evidences, that the said Nobleman hath duly and couragiously performed that his pilgrimage, we have therefore thought sit, favourably to give unto him Our Royall testimonie concerning the same: And to the end [Page 56] there may be no question made of the premisses, and that the Truth of them may more clearely appeare unto all men, We have thought good to grant unto him these our Let­ters, sealed with our Royall Seale. Given at our Pallace at Westminster the 24. day of October.

Like Letters, and of the same Date hath Nicholas of Ferrara a Lumbard. See here to what an height, from so obscure a beginning, it is now risen, not onely visited from all parts, but also Tested in so high and eminent a manner, and that, as you have heard done with so great deliberation and advice, as a matter of the greatest con­sequence. Yet how farre the Teste runneth, you see, that it is but onely of The due performance of the pilgrimage. And here it is to be observed, that in the times of Edward the third of England, the Esteeme of this Purgatory was at the height, after it had been rising thereunto 186. years; for so long it is betweene Henry of Saltry anno 1140. and Edward the third anno 1326. And within the com­passe of this Kings Raigne, wee shall finde much more noyse of it, and pressing to it, even from farre, then eyther before or after: as that of Ramon the Spanish Viscount, Anno 1328. (if wee beleeve the date) in the beginning of his Raigne of whom wee shall hereafter have occasi­on more largely to discourse, together with that follow­ing, being 37. yeares after, Yet in the said Kings raigne also. That, I meane which wee finde Recorded in the Registrie of Ardmagh, sent unto me by the now most lear­ned Primāte for the furthering of this worke; being Let­ters recommendatory from Milo Archbishop of Ard­magh in the yeare 1365. on the behalfe of certaine Pil­grims: The words are these.

Milo permis­sione divinā Archiepiscopus Armachanus Hiberniae Primas, religioso ac discreto viro Priori pur­gatorij sancti Patricij Loghderg Clogherensis Diocesseos, ac omnibus alijs Clericis & Laicis nostrae Armachanae Provinciae salutem in Domino sempiternam. Venientes ad nos Iohannes Bonham & Guidus Cissi asserentes se plurima sancta loca devotionis caesa peregre visitasse locum qui dicitur Purgatorium sancti Patricij Patroni nostri Diocesi Clog­herensi praedi­cta devotionis causa pro ani­marum suarum remedio cupiē ­tes, ut asserunt, visitare ad om­nes & singulos per quos dictos peregrinos trā ­sire contigerit, suademus & vos hortamur in Domino quatenus ipsos peregrinos cum per loca vestra transierint be­nignè & favo­rabiliter admit­tatis, & de bo­nis à Domino vobis collatis humanitatis beneficium & charitativum subsidium eisdem impendatis, Non patientes eisdem inferri, quantu min vobis est, mo­lestiam vel gravamen, tam devoti laboris vos ex hoc participes fieri nullatenus haesitantes. Dat. in Civitate Dunensi 15. die mensis Martij, Anno Domini 1365. Et nostrae Consecrationis anno quinto. Ex Registro Milonis fol. 41. In Biblioth. Reverendissimi Patr. Iacobi Armacbani. ‘ Milo by divine permission Archbishop of Ardmagh [Page 57] Primate of Ireland, to the religious and prudent man, the Pryor of Saint Patricks Purgatory in Loghderg, within the Diocesse of Clogher, And to all others the Cleargie and Laitie within the Province of Ardmagh everlasting health in the Lord. Iohn Bonham and Gui­das Cissi comming to us, have related that they have for devotions sake gone in pilgrimage, and visited many holy places: and that they are desirous for the health of their Soules to see the place called the purgatory of Saint Patricke our Patron, which is in the Diocesse of Clogher aforesaid: Wee doe therefore entreat and exhort in the Lord all and every by whom these strangers shall passe, that you would entertayne and receive them courteously: And that of the goods which God hath bestowed upon you, you would afford them some charitable helpe, not suffering, (asmuch as in you lyeth) any molesta­tion or disturbance to bee given them. By which meanes we doubt not, but that you shall be partakers of that their devout labours: Dated in the Citie of Downe the fifteenth day of March, in the yeare of our Lord one thousand three hundred sixty and five. And of our Con­secration the fift.’

It were easie to exceed in testimonies of this kinde; yet will I adde onely One more, being 120. yeares after This, in the yeare 1485. about the beginning of the Reigne of Henry the seventh King of England. That it may be seene how long it held up in that great esteeme. These are Letters Testimoniall of Octavianus Archbishop of Ardmagh given to certaine French Pilgrims.

[Page 58] Vniversis al­mae matris Ec­clesiae filijs ad quos praesentes literae nostrae Testimoniales pervenerint, Octavianus Dei & Aposto­licae Sedis gra­tia Archiepis­copus Arma­chanus totius Hiberniae Pri­mas, salutem in Domino sempi­ternam. Et se­quentibus in dubiam adhibe­re fidem. Cum pium & meri­torium existit testimonium perhibere veri­tati, praesertim cum Salvator noster Christus Dei filius, de coelis adima mundi discen­dens venerit testimonium veritati adhibiturum; Hinc est quod universitati vestrae prae­sentium seriè innotescimus, quod honesti viri Iohannis Garhi & Franciscus Proly presbyteri Civitatis Lugdunensis, & Iohannes Burges puer & famulus eorum praesen­tium latores, pro salute animarum suarum pio ducti affectu Purgatorium Almifici Confessoris sancti Patricij Hiberniae Apostoli quo in hoc saeculo purgantur crimina peccatorum: Et montem in quo dictus Almificus Confessor quadraginta diebus & quadraginta noctibus absque cibo temporali jejunavit, aliaque pia & devotissima lo­ca & mitabilia Hiberniae devotè peregrinando visitarunt, & in dicto purgatorio jeju­nijs & orationibus juxta loci illius ceremonias, prout nobis ad plenum extat manife­stum corpora sua, affligentes per nonnulla tempora expectarunt ac armis Christi re­demptoris nostri contra diabolicas fraudes & fantastica excitamenta contemplative certarunt, suas peregrinationes devotissimè implendo, ipsius Sancti suffragia & me­rita apud altissimum impetrando: quos sub nostrâ Ecclesiaeque nostrae Armachanae, & ejusdem Almifici Confessoris protectione suscipimus praesentium per tenorem. Quorum biennali commensali conversatione freti pariter & experti mores (que) vitam & perfectionem vestrae Universitati laudabiliter commendamus. Ex Registro Octaviani in Biblioth. Reverendissimi Patris Iacob, Armachani. ‘ Unto all the Children of our mother the Church to whom these our letters Testimoniall shall come, Octavia­nus by the grace of God and of the See Apostolike, Arch­bishop of Ardmagh, Primate of all Ireland, wisheth ever­lasting salvation in the Lord, wishing you would with­out question credit what followeth. Seeing it is an holy and meritorius thing to give your Testimonie unto the Truth, chiefly seeing our Saviour Christ the Sonne of God came downe from heaven into this world to beare witnesse of the truth: Hence it is that by these presents we make knowne unto you that Iohn Garhi, and Francis Proly of the Citie of Lyons Priests, and Iohn Burgesse their boy and servant (the bearers hereof) Men of good repute and piously affected did visit the Purgatory of the holy Confessor Saint Patricke, the Apostle of Ireland, within which the sinnes of offenders are even in this world pur­ged: And the mountaine in which the said holy Confessor did fast without Temporall meate forty dayes and fortie nights, together with other holy places of devotion, and things of greatest observation in Ireland: And that af­flicting their bodies in fasting and prayer according to the Ceremonies of that place, they did for acertaine time [Page 59] remaine in that Purgatory, as it cleerely appeareth to us: And that by the power of CHRIST our redeemer, they did contemplatively encounter all the fraudes, and fantasticall temptations of the Devill; devoutly so finishing their pilgrimage, and desiring the merits and prayers of the said Saint to the most High, whom by these presents we receive into the protection of us, our Church of Ard­magh, and of the said holy Confessor; whose manners, life, and perfection, we doe recommend unto you all, of which wee are confident having two yeares conversed with them.’

Which few among infinite others will sufficiently de­clare the wonderfull rising, and as strange continuance of this purgatory, & that from the times of Henry of Saltry (that I may not with others rise higher) untill this of Octavianus Ann. 1485. that is, for 345. years. For after this did it begin to Decline againe: For we finde it solemnely demolished within twelue yeares after, in the yeare 1497. during the Reigne of the said King Henry the seuenth, of which in its due place.

Yet if what hath beene said seeme strange unto any, Sect. 2. Probable Con­jectures. that eyther so obscure a thing should so befoole the world into so great an admiration of it, or that so ge­nerall a delusion, and of so long continuance, should on so small, or no grounds, be mantayned, let him consider the slavish feare, into which by the Popish Doctrine of purgatory, the world had bin brought; with feare whereof many have all their lives long been held in bondage: being told that all the sorrowes in this life, labours, want, banish­ments, prisons, shame, miseries, calamities, wounds, nay death it selfe, are nothing to the paines of purgatory. All which, with how great cost men seeke to redeeme, is not un­knowne. Hence those Masses and prayers for the soules departed, that they might bee eased, if not delivered of those paines. Hence those large Legacies both of Lands and Annuities bestowed for the continuance of that charitable worke.

[Page 60] But the hazards are great, and much uncertaintie is there in this course: And first for the Rich, and the most bountifull in this kinde, it may happen that the care of their successors may after a while abate, as unwilling to have their estates too deepely charged: or these divine Offices may fall short of performance, at the least some­times, under the hands of the Priest who undertaketh it, having already possession of all that can be expected: on the other side, what poore hope The poorer sort of people may have, of being freed from Purgatory, in whose scor­ching flames they are likely long to fry, they see, who can well tell, that no penny, no Paternoster. These consi­derations of impossibilitie in the one, and uncertaintie in the other, could not but be a great burden to the mindes of men, and the greatnesse of the burden could not but worke in them a desire of finding out some R [...] [...], what­soever it be, for so great Evils: Neyther can it be doub­ted that a Remedy could bee more readily propounded than in this case as readily entertayned, and that, it may be with little or no dispute, at the least with the most part of men.

If therefore such a course could bee thought upon, whereby first men in their owne life time by themsel­ves (not relying on the uncertaine affections of others) might if not altogether, yet abate much of the ensuing paines. That secondly; if any thing were amisse or de­fective in the worke, it might be supplyed by a future reformation of life, or by the continuall use of the said meanes: So in the latter amending any omission in the former. If lastly that meanes, might bee compassed by all, being within the Capacitie of each mans Abilitie [...] the Poore aswell as the Rich, being admitted to pertake of the benefit, certainely this could not but take under what shew soever it were offered.

And what could not Cunning heads, having their owne Interests, joyned withall, finde out for working this feate? And what I pray you could bee more fitly in­vented [Page 61] for this, than this, or some other such place of purgatory? with what facilitie? with what easie charge at the least but answerable to mens abilities, even of the poorest, may this be had? with how great hope of reliefe? yea more than could bee expected; certainely more than can be beleeved.

For thou art told that, Non est pre­cator adeo ma­gnus cui alia satisfactio in­jungatur quam ut unâ nocte in eodem sit purgatorio. Gul. Thyraeus discurs. panegyr▪ de mirac. sanct. Patricij. That there is none so great a sinner, that needeth to be enjoyned any other satisfaction than to remayne but onely one night in this Saint Patrickes pargatory. The time, you see, is but short: yet perhaps the torments may be so much the more raysed; but for that also there shall be an helpe found; Qui verè poe­nitentes iliud ingressi, & poe­nas illas atro­cissimas sive per veram pas­sionem, sive pe [...] imaginatiam, apprehensio­nem sustinen­tes à poenis om­nibus pro pec­cato debitis purgabuntur. Gul. Pennottus Histor. tripart. Cleric. [...]anonic. libr. 2. cap. 34. n 2. col. 2. p. 363. for they who be­ing truly penitent shall enter into this purgatory, and doe suffer those cruell paines, whether by a reall passion, or if onely but by an imaginaarie apprehension, shall be purged from all punishments due to them for their sinnes. Thou canst not, I hope, looke to be more favourably dealth with­all, than if thou must bee punished, that thou sleepe and dreame it out, it being sufficient that it be but in imagi­nation onely. Neyther is thy life endangered in this, for into Saint Patricks purgatory thou mayst goe and come againe, Nam qui de sancti Patricij purgatorio loquuntur, non dicunt illud fuisse pur­gatorium animarum, in quo illae in alterâ vitâ de lege Dei ordinariâ purgantur, sed purgatorium speciale viventium in quo homines in hac vitâ degentes, & verè poenitentes, pro poenis illorum peccatis in hac vita debitis ex speciall Dei conces­sione satisfaciant. idem. ibidem. None esteeming this to bee a purgatory of Soules wherein by the ordinarie appointment of God, they are purged after this life, but that it is a speciall pur­gatory for those that are alive, in which men living in this world being truly penitent may by the speciall favour of God satisfie the punishment due to their sinnes. So that now thou needest not to trust the worke to be done by another, seeing it lyeth in thine owne hand to doe it. But what if thou shalt sinne after this, and so incurre another purging? If so; goe but into this place againe, to which thou mayst resort as oft as it shall please thee, which may [Page 60] [...] [Page 61] [...] [Page 62] be done without any abatement of the comforts of thy life. Multi enim sunt qui itera­tis vicibus pur­gatorij Antrū subirent, & ta­men regressi Iudunt, rident, cachinantur in saeculo cum sae­cularibus ver­santur, tractāt­que negotia hujus mundi: non secus ac in­gressi illum lo­cum nunquam fuissent. D. Roth de pur­gatorio sancti Patricij. For there are many that have gone into this purga­tory, and that againe and againe; who being returned doe play, laugh, and that with the greatest expression of it; In this world they converse with men in the world, and looke after the affaires of the world no lesse, than if they had never gone into this purgatory. But will this purgatorie doe all this? Yea, all this, and more too (if you beleeve it) it freeth thee from that purgatory which thou so much fearest, For thou needest no other penance, no other pur­gatory. I but the maine thing, and of greatest difficul­tie, yet remaineth how men may bee perswaded to be­leeve this. A matter of no great difficultie.

For first, Besides the facilitie with which men are drawne, to flatter themselves with hopes, and the willingnesse to forget what is not desired. Let second­ly some one be packt that shall first goe into this purga­tory, who must confidently report what hee shall please to say hee hath seene. And then for them that follow, if they see no such things, it is supposed that on their part something is amisse in the worke: which rather than it should be conceived, the best course would be to say as others did before, rather than by comming so farre, and suffering so much without bringing backe any Newes to make themselves ridiculous, or loose the prayse of the Action, like unto him in Erasmus. Who Intentis in coelum oculis, signavit totam faciem ac sca­pulas imagine Crucis, & vul­tu and stuporem composito, ita secum, Deum immortalem! Quid ego video? rogantibus qui proxime equitabant, quid viderat, rursum obsignans se majori Cruce, avertat inquit clementissimus Deus hoc ostentum. Cum instarent aviditate cognoscendi; ille defixis in coelum oculis, ac digito commonstrans coeli locum, nonne inquit, videtis illic immanem Draco­nem ignis armatum cornibus, caudâ in circulum retortâ? Quum negarent se vide­re, atque ille jussisset oculos intenderent, ac locum subinde commonstraret, tandem unus quispiam ne videretur parum oculatus affirmavit se quoque videre, Hunc imita­tus est unus, item alter, pudebat enim non videre quod tam estet perspicuum. Quid multis? infra triduum rumor hic totam Angliam pervasserit tale portentum appa­ruisse, mirum autem quantum fama popula [...]is addidit fabulae. Non soleo multum tribuere fabulis quae vulgo feruntur de spectris, suspicor enim de hominibus credulis, multa pro veris prodita literis quae simili artificio sunt adsimulata. Erasm. Colloq. Exo [...]c [...]s [...]. pag. 310. earnestly [Page 63] fixing his eyes upon heaven, did crosse his face and shoulders with the signe of Crosse, & looking a [...] it were amazed, said to himselfe, O immortall God! what do I see? They who did ride next to him, desired to know from him what it was that he did see: But he againe Crossing himselfe more than before, Mercifull God (saith he) turne from us this ominous signe; They now much more desirous to know what it was, he in­tentively looketh up, and pointing with his finger to the place, doe you not see there (saith he) A great Dragon ar­med with fierie Hornes and his tayle wreathed upwards? they denied that they did see any such thing: He still bid­deth them looke more earnestly, and withall shewed the place. At the last one of them least his eyesight might be questioned, affirmed that he did see it, another followeth him, and him another: For now it was a sh [...]me not to see what was so plaine: To be briefe, within three dayes, it was all England over, that such a sight was seene, and strange it was to see, how much the vulgar in relating of it added to the Fable. Thus Erasmus, these mens eyes being often­times like those eyes in the Comedy, who see more than they doe see. And so Oculi qui plus vident quam quod vi­dent. Terent. Erasmus concludeth: I am not accustomed (saith hee) to give credit to such fables, which are reported commonly of Spectars, for I suspect, that many things invented with like cunning are writ­ten for truth by credulous men. And that by such as be, (it may be) of the honester sort.

But this doth favour something of Combination in the Imposture which although it may, and hath often in many things taken: yet it may also fayle. Therefore, if thirdly you will have that first adventurer to deceive, in being deceived: Feed him before hand with Reports of what things have beene There done in former times, and that hundreds of yeares since. Tell him that some have beene There, who have endured strange things, and seene stranger? some of them Really, others onely in Imagi­nation. And least there might be any Discovery, such a course may be taken with him that long fasting (as thirty [Page 64] or fifteene, or but nine dayes) together with little sleepe and much labour in rounding and surrounding, before he shall enter into the place may make the matter sure: For it is not to be doubted but Reason will thereby be weake­ned, the phantasie awakened and they themselves likely cast into a deepe sleepe: when principally they must be told that all their dreames are reall, and then the worke is done. For that I may use the words of a Iesuite in this verie point, Edm. Campi­an Iesuite hist. Ireland lib. 1. cap. 13. A man of indifferent judgement may soone suspect that in the drift and strength of imagina­tion a Contemplative person would happily suppose the sight of many strange things which he never saw; onely for the divulging it, it will the better take, if it be first reported abroad amongst strangers, for if they be (as they are easiely to be deceived) such as are neerest home will soone be caught. Then be sure that the ground-worke, and if it may bee Presidents also, of such Reports bee as Ancient as may be; For besides the honour afforded An­tiquitie, there will none be able to disprove thee, if the matter be but cleanely carryed. For effecting of all which▪ there cannot be wanting those who are their own crafts­masters, both for Cunning in framing, and confidence in imposing them on others for truth: and how great cause they have (if profit be respected) to labour hard in this golden-mine, cannot be unknowne to any that shall consider the great benefit thence arising: which seeming little, yet comming through so many hands doth amount▪ insensibly to great summes; and that whether wee take notice but of the poore fraught and transportation of each Pilgrime into this Island, for which each one payeth for the most part eight pence, S [...] Iames [...] descrip. of [...] [...]. and what this may in time make up, can hardly be imagined. Yet if there were no more at one time in the Island than what Sir William Stewart lately found there, S [...] [...]. Ste­wart. Letter to the Lo [...] ▪ Iusti­ [...] [...] Co [...]. [...] 8. 1632. foure hundred seventie and one Persons, it would amount to fifteene pounds foure­teene shillings in one day: But what then shall wee say to that, (if that be true) which D. Roth. the now Po­pish [Page 65] Bishop of Ossory reporteth of it, and as he thinketh on very good ground. Adhuc supe­rest non nemo optimae fidei qui nobis in verbo Sacerdo­tis asseruerat, [...] se visos mille quingentos ho­mines simul & semel in Insulâ. Quod si unâ vi­ce tantus fuerit numerus pere­grinorum, quid censebimus de unâ aliquâ ae­tate, praesertim quando liberi­or erat aditus, quam nunc ex­perimur, ob co­lonias Prote­stantium in cir­cuitu. D. Roth. apud Tho. Mess. de purg. S. Patr. cap. 1. num. 17. pag. 94. There is one of very good cre­dit yet alive, saith he, who did averre in the word of a Priest, that hee had seene fifteene hundred persons altoge­ther a [...] on [...] time in the Island: which maketh up fiftie pounds in a day, but as I will not question this mans cre­dit, by the (it may be supposed) impossibilitie of such a throng in so small a roome as halfe an Acre of ground, so will I not make this to be such an estimate as should hold out constantly: It is sufficient what he doth there inferre; If therefore there were in that place such a number of Pil­grimes at one time, what shall we thinke of one whole age, specially when the accesse thereunto was more free than now it is, by reason of the Protestant Colonies round about. And how great then shall wee thinke the gaines to bee that would be from the Concourse of people; yet is this but the least part, and but the Pe [...]ce of this treasurie, Eight­pence is but a poore allowance for so many attending priests to bee relieved withall; Ecclesiasticall Convents both in Ireland and beyond the Seas, must besides the for­mer partake of their bounty, if they will share in their Prayers: All which no man can thinke would bee made up of small matters, nor being put altogether would make up sleight summes: So that all things considered, it is not so much to be wondred, if these so advantageous Silver shrines should finde so many Demetriusses, both at home and abroad, who have magnified it as a thing descended from Heaven, and to be of a divine institution: All of them as it were joyned in one packe, and made together in one tale, in setting forth the merite of this Pilgrimage set forth by the most strange Relations thereof that is possible to be met withall.

From this Combination (I need not doubt to call it so) it is that among the severall Histories of Pilgrima­ges in ancienter times made into this Purgatory (where­of Bookes of late so swarme) yet scarcely any one will be found to differ from another, at the least wise in any [Page 66] materiall circumstance; which howsoever to some, may seeme rather a singular inducement to the Truth of the thing, yet doth it rather savour of fraud and fiction in the one, and to bee received, rather than tryed by others.

I shall therefore single out some one of these Histo­ries, 3. The Pilgrimage of the Spanish Viscount into S. Patr. Purg. [...] refer ā historiam quae [...]onis Vite­ [...]omitis nobilis Hi [...]ni prose­ [...] in D. [...] purga­ [...], [...] ca­ [...] [...]demque [...] con­ [...]es me­moria dignissi­ [...]m auditu [...]ucunda & mi­ [...]bili [...] [...] pec­cantes ad meli­orem vitae fru­gem sequendā numinis obser­vanda praecep­ [...]a, peccata vi­ [...]anda, purga­ [...]orij cruciatus [...]imendos miri­ [...]ice exhortans▪ [...] O Sulle­ [...], histor. cath. [...]. tom. 1. libr. 2. cap. 1. fol. 14. by that to judge of the rest in that kinde: thereby also avoyding that tediousnesse with which so great a number would overcome a verie patient Reader: one onely being more than enough. Neyther will I fix on the first pilgrimage, of which we read reported by Hen­ry of Saltry, of Owen commonly called the History of the Knight, which we have before touched, matters were than in their infancie: It is sufficient that then the ground-worke was layd, the first Inventors not being able to reach to that perfection, which after-times found out: But I doe make choyce rather of a Relation which of all others is most frequent in the mouthes of this Nation: as it is at large set out by * O Sullevan: who promiseth to tell u [...] ▪ an History of one Ramon a noble Spanish Viscount, that went into Saint Patrickes purgatory, relating what there happened unto him, and his returne thence, an History, saith he, worthy to be remembred being both delightfull and won­derfull, serving to exhort sinners▪ to bring forth fruit in their lives, teaching them to observe Gods Commandements, to avoyde sinne, and wonderfully setting forth the paines of purgatory, and that they are to be feared. This then shall be instead of many, nothing being in the rest materiall, that is not in this one, in which respect I doe desire par­don if I be larger in it than the matter deserveth; It is by O Sullevan translated out of Spanish, and is as followeth.

A Pilgrimage, The same almost in all particulars with 4. The examina­tion of the Truth thereof that of Owen the Knight, of which before, as by the mar­ginall references thereunto, as it is in Matthew Paris; may appeare; wherein wee finde no other alteration than an omission of the Feild of Torments, which we have here, being the onely thing not spoken ost in Matthew: For fit it was that something should be never: To which adde the difference in the number of the Religious men, who in the Hall met this our adventurer, being Twelve; where­as the Knight was encountred with Fifteen: If perhaps wee take no notice of the different judgements of these Matth. Paris. ubi supra. two Pilgrims in Coasting the place; That being Eastward in our Viscounts survey, which the Knight placeth South­ward, if one be true, the other is not: But they are diffe­rences Matth. Paris. ubi supra. so sleight; that but change the Names and these two [Page 80] [...] [Page 81] [...] [Page 82] Relations (and if these, most then of this kinde) will seeme to be the same, And the same I had almost sayd in words also, had not this of ours beene of O Sullevans transla­tion, as he saith, out of the Spanish Coppie.

To which the Translator of himselfe addeth Haec viceco­mitis historia si aliqâ in parte creditu diffici­lis videtur; ad­cat studiosus vetitatis Lio­nysium Car­thusianum, qui opere de qua­tuor Novissi­mis & de judi­cio animae, de alijs quiex hoc purgatorio re­versi sunt, simi­les historias re­fert, & rem fuse secutus argu­mentis, & diffi­cultatibus re­spoudit, Ac ille ac alij authores plura & multa purgatorij cru­ciamenta tra­dunt. Quod & Virgilius canit. Philip. O Salle. hist. cath. Hiber. cap. 3. pag. 31. If this History of the Viscount seeme in any thing difficult to be beleeved, let him who desireth to be satisfied in it, read Dio­nysius Carthusianus in his worke of the foure last dayes, and of the judgement of the Soule. Where hee doth report the like historie of others who have returned from this pur­gatory; at large prosecuting the subject, and resolving all the arguments and difficulties concerning it. And both he and other Authors relate many more passages of the paines of Purgatory, of which also Virgil thus singeth.

Non mihi si linguae centum fuit, ora (que) centum, &c.

If I had an hundred mouths, and as many tongues, &c. Where seeing he seemeth to doubt; some question might bee made of the Truth of this Relation, it will not bee amisse, if we examine what Probabilities there may be of it, all gathered out of it selfe. And then what strong Ar­guments are produced for the confirming thereof.

First then for the generall, I will onely propound the judgement of a Iesuit writing of this subject, [...]dm Ca [...]p [...]an Iesuit. [...] of [...]. [...]. 1. cap. 1 [...]. That if any be so delicate, that not a jot thereof will sinke into his head: Who shall controule him? Neyther hee, nor wee are bound to beleeve any story, besides that which is delive­red us from the Scriptures, and the consent of Gods Church; Let the discreet Reader judge of it. But this will seeme too generall; Let us therefore heare his owne opinion of it. Touching the credit of these matters (saith hee) I see no cause, but a Christian man assuring himselfe that there is both Hall and Heaven, may without vanitie upon suffici­ent information, bee perswaded, that it might please God at some time, for considerations to his infinite wisedome knowne, to reveale by miracles the visions of joyes and paines eternall; But that altogether in such a sort, and that so ordinarily, and to such persons, and by such meanes as the [Page 83] common fame goeth, and some Records thereof doe utter; I neyther beleeve, nor wish to be regarded. He proceedeth. It appeareth by Trevisa in his addition to Polychronicon, that a superstitious opinion was then conceived of this pur­gatory, which he disproveth. And a man of indifferent judge­ment may soone suspect, that in the drift & strength of ima­gination; a Contemplative person would happily suppose the sight of many strange things which he never saw. Hither­to Campian, part of which discourse, I had before occa­sion to use. But where here he saith, We are not bound to beleeve any history; except what is contayned in the Scrip­tures, or strengthened with the consent of Gods Church: or delivered unto us upon sufficient information: which agreeth with that of Aquinas, Nititur fides nostra Re­velationi Apostolis & Prophetis facta, qui Canoni [...]es li­bros scripserunt, non autem revelationibus (si qua fue­runt) alijs doctoribus factae. Aquin. part. 1. q. 1. a [...]l 8. id se­cundum. And so farre is this from the two first kinds, that it sayleth of the latter; for what is Recorded of it, neyther he himselfe beleeveth, nor would he approve of his Iudgement, that would; considering the foolery of imagination, and the weake ground of an Ar­gument concluding an act, from the possibilitie of it. Now what reason Campian had, so to esteeme of these kinde of pilgrimages, and for us to thinke no lesse of this of our Viscount, may be seene by a more particular survey of the severall circumstances thereof.

And first see the ground of it. This is layd for a posi­tion, Except. r. Nefas est quempiam an­trum introire, nisi ad expian­da peccata. Ph. O Sull. hist. cath. Hib. tom. 1. libr. 2. cap 2 pag. 17. That it is not lawfull for any man to enter into that Cave, but for to expiate his sinnes. And would you know what it was that moved our Adventurer to this pilgri­mage? not Religion so much as Curiositie: Among other rules given by Salmeron the Iesuit for judging of Revela­tions or visions; this is one. z salmer. Iesuit comment. 1. Ioh. 3. dsp. 24. Videndum an revelatio con­tinet aliquidinutile aut curiosum, quia ex his facile discer­ [...]i possit. But for our Viscount, I earnestly desired (saith hee) to know in what estate the Soule of the King was (the King of Aragon his Master) And if it were in Purgato­ry, [Page 84] what paines it there suffered. Which if it be not to pry into Gods secrets, and to be wise above that which is writ­ten, I know not what is: Neyther so onely but contrary to the Law of God Deut. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. doth hee consult and conferre with him being dead, it being one of those things that are abhomi­nation to the Lord. So Maldonat the Iesuit on Luk. 16. 29. Vult Christus vivos Scripturarum testimonijs esse con­tentos, nec à mortuis quid in alter â geratur vitâ audire velle (ut Isay. 8. 19.) Numquid inquit non populus à Deo­s [...]io requiret visionem pro vivis à mortuis? ad legem potius & testimonium. Yet notwithstanding, with what ap­plause is this Adventurer received by the holy Fathers, bothin Purgatory and in Paradise, It is confessed, that it is also said that hee went thither for to expiate his sinnes, yet doth not that excuse this sinne, neyther doe we finde this esteemed to be a fault that required expiation. Besides out of the whole discourse, it is apparant that the other was rather the moving and principall cause; For Newes being brought unto him of his Kings death, I was (saith he) with that Relation much perplexed, and did earnestly desire to know in what state the Kings Soule was; or if it were in Purgatory, what paines it there suffered; whereupon I cal­led to minde what I did heare reported of Saint Patrickes purgatory, and resolved to visit it, that I might aswell know some certaintie of the King, as to obtaine from God pardon for my sinnes.

But we passe this and follow him into the Cave, where we will not stand on that groundlesse relation, That the Except. 2. place he stood upon, seemed so infirme as if it were not able to beare him: This being but a fiction, or at the best but an idle fancie, as shall after appeare, when we shall see the foundations searched to the very bottome, but let us see him going forward, and passing into A very large Hall, not having one continued wall, but being Arched and standing on Pillars, in which after I had walked (saith he) I sate downe admiring the structure, Elegancie, and beutis of that strange worke, which in my judgement sur­passed [Page 85] all humane skill. By which discription I should have taken this place to have beene the Pallace of the Sunne set out by the Poet, Ovid. Metam. lib. 2. had it not beene that it is heere added, that it had no more light than is our winter twilight, where [...] Cant. relat. of the cons. with F [...]sh. r. p. 303. a man would wonder how these Romish builders with un­tempered mortar found light enough in that darke place to build as they have done. And indeed this maketh the won­der farre greater, by no light, or as good as none, our win­ter twilight, when the neerest objects are not discernable by us, yet to judge of colour, beautie and proportion so di­stinctly, as he saith he did, by which light he saw twelve Men come towards him cladin white, and all this at a great distance, the Hall being exceeding large, and hee sitting downe at one part thereof.

But it may be thought that when he sate, he did but in his minde contemplate what in his going up and downe be­fore he had observed. Not so, for in the same passage de­scribed by the Knight, the words are these, Ingressus cā & intus sedens, oculos studiose huc illuc [...] vertit, ad illius p [...] tudinē & [...] cturam. [...] Paris. hist. Angl. in Stephano. That having entred the Hall and sitting downe, hee turned his eyes care­fully up and downe admiring the beautie and structure of the place. Yet may it not be that all this was seene in an extasie, and so the credit of the Reporter salved? we have the very same moved in Henry of Saltry our first Author in the history of Owen the Knight, Sunt qui di­cunt quod Au­lam ingressus in exrasin fue­rat raptus, & haec omnia in spiritu viderat quod nequa­quam contigis­se, Miles certis­simè affirmat, sed corporeis occulis se om­nia vidisse & corporaliter pertulisse constantissimè testatur. Henry Saltry de purgatorio sancti Patri­cij. There are (saith he) who say that the Knight being entred the Hall, was rapt into an extasie, and that in the spirit he saw all these things. Some said so who were willing to beleeve the story, and loath to bee diverted by the grosse incongruitie of the circumstances. But this is resolved by the Knight, who can best tell. The Knight confidently affirmed that it was not so, but that hee did see all things with his corporall eyes, and really felt what he did suffer; So have we it al­so in Matthew Paris: where the Knight is brought in telling his owne tale. Matth. Paris. hist. Angl. in Stephano. pag. 88. To which agreeth that of Dio­nysius Carthusianus discoursing of many Visions, and des­cending [Page 86] of this Knight, Quicquid de visionibus prae­memoratis di­catur: visio ista dici non potest imagin aria ex­titisse, sed exte­rior & in plena vigilia, sicque taliter visa, realiter ita se habuerunt, ut videbantur. Dionysius Car [...]. de quatuor Noviss. in Colloq. de Iudic. A [...]im [...] ar [...]. 25. pag. 438. that howsoever we may thinke of those other visions, whether they were imaginarie or not; Yet this vision of the Knight cannot be said to be ima­ginary, but was outwardly objected to his sences, he being fully awake, and that as the things were sayd to bee seene, so were they really in themselves. This evasion then is fully disclaymed, and how all can stand together on those grounds, let them see that can.

To which thirdly, adde our Viscounts first meeting Except. 3. with those twelve Men, who in the Hall thus accost him, Let our great and good God be ever praised, to whose Com­mand all things are subject, who hath given thee an incre­dible and unheard off resolution, that thou shouldest adven­ture hither for the purging of thy sinnes. How this his Resolution of going thither could bee eyther unh [...]rd off or incredible, seemeth to me incredible, if we must be­leeve that story of the Knights descending thither, whic [...] also many others are said to have more than resolved, even done, both before and after, this I see, that if that be True, this must bee False, and so not deserving so high and solemne an attestation of the blessed Name of God, which must not bee taken in vaine, must lesse for countenancing of a [...]ye also.

Fourthly, wheras our Viscount proceeding in his jour­ney Except. 4. under ground, saith that hee came to the Sun-rising, and in severall passages discourseth much of seeing f [...]rre and neere, it may seeme as difficult as his before seeing so perfectly without light; for it may well bee doubted how the Sunne and day light should appeare so freely in subterraneall Den [...]es, especially in that Kingdome descri­bed not onely by darkenesse, but utter darkenesse, Matth. 8. 12. Iude vers. 13. and blackenesse of darkenesse.

Like unto this is his looking over large fields, so spacious, Except. 5. that his eyesight could not reach their bounds, and they also [Page 87] all on Fire and [...]aming, affording strange objects of tor­ments, and of these not a few; if through a [...]laming me­dium our sight could passe to such a great distance: Yet how can this agree with the Fire of Hell and Purgatorie, not by any esteemed to agree in light with our Elementa­ry? We have heard it described to be blacke and sulphu­reous rather, and no lesse is before said by our Viscount, describing the Pit of paine.

Into this Pit of paine the Viscount is cast, being by the Except. 6. wicked Spirits told that it was Hell, yet being drawne thence to another place of torments, hee is otherwise in­formed by others of that Crew in this manner, O man what doest thou [...] our Companions told thee that that Pit was Hell, withall casting thee into it: Thus we use to say to deceive men: But wee will indeed cast thee into Hell: advising him rather to returne. That they should oft use that fraud to deceive men, with the feare of Hell; We are yet to understand; But this is added to make us beleeve the like pilgrimages to be a thing often attempted, for to such onely can it bee applyed: which yet crosseth what was before said by those twelve Fathers. Yet to what end should this fraud be used? Why should those Murtherers be now so tender-hearted, as to dissivade his going into Hell body and Soule? Certainely, a thing incredible and unheard off. Was it that they did foresee hee should be thence delivered, as he was said to be from all the former places of Torments? and no lesse is reported of him. But hitherto we thought that the paines of hell were Eternall, and not at any time to be released; of which those spirits could not bee ignorant. Abraham himselfe knew not otherwise, when he said, Luk. 16. 25. 26. That none can passe from thence to us. Neyther is it any wonder it should bee then un­knowne, which came in long after, and then not onely taught, but defended by Salmeron the Iesuit out of Da­mascen, relating that fact of Gregories freeing of Trajan the Heathen Emperor out of Hell, Salmeron Ie­suit Comment. in. 1. Cor. 15. disp. 27. Gregorius valida [...] pr [...]c [...]s ad Dominum habuit, ut Trajani peccata remitte­rentur, [Page 88] mox vox divinitus allata, audita est, preces tu as audivi, & veniam Trajano do. To which the Iesuit out of Thomas and others addeth the Circumstances: Animam Trajani revocatam fuisse ad vitam, & ad poenitentiam ductam, baptismi sacramento peccatorum remissionem & gratiam, deinde vitam aternam esse consequutam. This was then thought to be but a singular fact, and no more to be expected; To which purpose it is in Damascen cited by the Iesuit; addeth as spoken by God to Gregry: Tu ve­ro deinceps pro impio hostiam ne mihi offeras: Yet will not this content them, but the Jesuit undertaketh to shew many others the like examples: Ostendam illud contigisse multis Paganis & idolatris qui dum in inferno torqueren­tur, legimus tamen per Apostolos sive apostolicos viros ad fidei corroborationem miraculo fuisse ad vitam excitatos, in qua ad fidem conversi conservati fuerunt. Certainely, if wee can beleeve that, wee may easier credit this of our Viscount and others before him who tryed it, being tor­mented there & thence again delivered: for our translator concludeth the description of Purgatory with this Vis­counts discoursing with his King, puting a Quere, whether what followeth were not Hell? If not, we know not what it is, unlesse they will yet finde more places of torments in those quarters than they have yet assigned, wherein they may proceede infinitely. This place heere described for Hell, we have also in Bede, with the same circumstan­ces; where not by any evill spirits, the Soule in that vision is thus informed, Venera [...]. Be­da. [...]. Ec­cles. Angl. lib. 5. cap. 13. Porrò puteus ille flammivomus & pu­tidus, quem vidisti, ipsum est os Gehennae, in quo quicun (que) semel inciderit, nunquam inde liberabitur in avum. If this be true, what shall wee thinke of the Viscounts saying that he was freed from it? That must be false: Or if what the Soule is here told, bee not true, being so credibly in­formed, as by the circumstances is supposed, I know not what credit can be given to any relation of that kinde; Notwithstanding this matter is coloured with the diffi­cultie of his avoyding these last torments more than the [Page 89] former. Being left there and having forgotten that divine Name, wherefore (saith hee) I gave my selfe lost; But by the [...]elpe of the Deitie I recalled my selfe, and cryed, Jesus, &c. Which forgetfulnesse the Knight also was overtaken withall Matth. Paris. hist. Ang. n Ste­phano pag. 86. in his Pilgrimage, so that it seemeth to be a matter of course. But here wee crave the same li­bertie which Bellarmine taketh to himselfe in that case of Bellar. libr. 2. de purg. cap. 8. paulo post ini­tium. Trajan, Cum solius Damasceni authoritate nitantur, authores citati, qui historiam hanc defenderunt, magis ego propendeo in sententiam Melchioris Cani, qui simpliciter improbat hanc historiam ut confictam, & Dominici à Soto, qui dicit hanc historiam sibi creditu esse durissimam. We have scarce so good authority for this, as Damascen was, and if we had, you see how light it would be made with your Cardinall, neyther will we receive it, wanting so much as it doth of its just weight.

Besides how many Secrets hath this discoverer at once Except. 7. layd open unto us? For first, in searching for Saint Pa­trickes purgatory, wee have by chance met with that ge­nerall purgatory of Soules, which hath troubled some where to place it, a purgatory of Soules: I say it hath beene esteemed, but behold now men alive have way to be there purged, which is a further addition to that new doctrine.

Here also have wee secondly found that which none hitherto could tell, what became thereof, That earthly Paradise whence our first Parents were cast. This is it, say those two Archbishops, so that learned men neede no fur­ther trouble themselves in enquiring after it. Into this Paradise a bridge leadeth long and narrow, that is, Dionys. Cart [...]. de judicio anim. [...]t. 21. two mile long and one palme broad, for so doe wee supply it elsewhere. Will you see the description of the place? Greene fields, pleasant Gardens, delightfull fruit, fine Ar­bors. And what not? The soyle it selfe so large, that the bounds thereof could not be seene. Which if his eye could not reach, I wonder not at it; but doe rather admire how see could see this or any of these, if that be true which [Page 90] he addeth that The soyle was brighter than the Sunne it selfe: He had no more neede of Owle-eyes in observing that darke Hall, than of Eagles-eyes here: Neyther will they serve in a light more glorious than the Sunne. And among other reasons this is one inducing Suarez the Ie­suit not to relish it: Ipsa descriptio loci amoeni, in qua di­citur nullam esse obscuritatem, sed lucem maximam, & quae superat lucem Solis, nimiam videtur prae se ferre absurdita­tem. Suar. Jes. tom. 4. in Thom. disp. 46. §. 4. n [...]. 6. & 8. §. 1. n [...]. 12. 13. For, so great is that exceeding great light of that flourishing feild, that in comparison thereof, what light doth here appeare, seemeth very little and most dimme, as wee have it in venerable Bede. Sicut etiam lux illa campi florentis eximia in comparatio­ne ejus quae nunc apparuit lucis tenuissi­ma, prorsus vi­debatur & par­va. Vener. Bede hist. Eccles. Ang. lib. 5. cap. 13. Yet so quick-sighted is hee notwithstanding all this, that further than two thousand paces off, he could discerne the Gate of Paradise: and with­in two thousand paces he might see it open, and thence a most fragrant odour to issue; But why thence rather than else­where? all places there being full of all varieties of sweet sents; But his eye it seemeth did judge also of these odours, which hee saw proceeded out of the Gate of the Citie; where also we are to omit the stately buildings in Pa­radise; since the casting out of our first Parents: With the inhabitants thereof; Popes, Cardinals, Archbishops, all like Religious men, according to the places and digni­ties each possessed being alive. See also if this bee not a New peece of doctrine, that the Honours wee enjoy on earth goe along with us after; if we shall bee worthy to enter this Paradise: Hence it was that those two Archbi­shops are still knowne by that their dignitie: Hence also it may be that by Bellaer. libr. 2. de purg. cap. 7. §. [...]artum ad pri­ [...]. Bellarmine, the place is called carcer qui­dam Senatorius at (que) Honoratus, by these holy fathers or Se­nators with innumerable others is our Pilgrim met, they comming out of the Gate of the Citie with Crosses, and burning Tapers in their hands, as if the Ceremonies of the Church Militant, to say no more of these, were to bee observed there: and as if the light of burning Tapers were eyther usefull, or to bee discerned; and that two thousand paces off, especially in a place whose glory surpassed the Sun. [Page 91] If it be enquired how all these doe spend their Time? we are told, that it is taken up in walking together, two or three or more, as they please, talking, dancing, singing, and praysing God: And which would hardly be credited, if he himselfe had not tasted it, these happy Companies are daily fed with Manna from Heaven, being a meate which the Lord hath prepared for his Elect, sweeter than any Nectar or Ambrosia, (say these Archbishops) savouring of that heathenish Fable of the Gods, feeding on the like. Cer­tainely no Christian can bee of so grosse an imagination, that understandeth any thing of the state of men after death, as to conceive any such thing: For the Elect, as they marry not, nor are given in marriage after this life, but in that respect are like the Angels of God, Matth. 22. 30. so also in this of not eating or drinking. We have hitherto supposed Mahomets Paradise more than ridiculous, where is sayd to be plenty of Meate and drinke, walking, dancing, and all worldly delights: But it may be this is the Place. Thus have wee seene these strange places, of which Suarez the Suarez Iesuit tom. 4. in Thom. d sp. 46. §. 1. [...] 8. 12 13. Iesuit: Distingunt nonnulli loca purgatoria, unum (aiunt) esse inferno similem excepta aeternitate supplicij, in quo sunt qui diu in peccatis vivebant; alium ab illo dis­junctum, in quo solum dolore absentiae à patria coelesti ani­ma purgatur, quae imperfectè vixerunt: quae sententia fun­datur solum in quadam visione, quam refert Beda: quam­vis non dicam fuisse confictam, aut mendacem, nihilomi­rus aliqua proferam, propter quae mihi suspecta videtur, ut dare fidem illi visioni non possim, ut sonat. For that the Reports of this Terrestriall Paradise are vaine, fi­ctitious, and meerely phantasticall, shall be after more fully delivered.

Yet here by these two learned Archbishops wee are Except. 8. taught Three points of Faith, which all the Scriptures could not afford us.

1. First, that Christ our Saviour appointed the Sacra­crament of Pennance, thereby to satisfie in this life for our [Page 92] sinnes, which if it be so well grounded, Sunt etiam inter Catholi cos, qui putant nullsi esse prae­ceptum divinū de confessione, ut omnes de­cretorum in­terp. etes, & in­ter Scholasti­cos Scotus. Maldo [...]at. se­suit. in sum. q. 18. art. 4. Why should any Catholike thinke that there is no divine precept for it, with whom agree all the Interpreters of the Decrees, and Scotus among the Schoolemen, saith Maldonat the Ie­suite.

2. But in case this Sacrament reach not unto all, then there remaineth a Purgatory after death, appointed also by Christ, saith these Fathers: But where doe we finde it so appointed by Christ? and if it were, how commeth it to passe, That Legat qui vult Graecorū patrim Com­mentarios, & nullam ut opi­nor aut ratissi­mam Purgato­rij mentionem inveniet: Sed ne (que) Latini si­mul omnes hu­jus rei verita­tem concepe­runt, ne (que) tam necessaria fuit Primitive ec­clesiae purga­torij sides at (que) nunc est; ex qua pendet omnis indul­gentiarum esti­matio: his enim si nullum fu­erit purgatori­um, nihil indi­gelimus: con­templantes igitur aliquandiu purgatorium incognitum fuisse; deinde quibusdam pe­detentim partim ex revelationibus cognitum, & receptum Ecclesie universae. Epist. Rof­fens. art. 18. contra Luther [...]. in the Commentaries of the Greek Fathers we finde little or no mention of it; for ought I know, neither yet have all the Latines conceived the truth of it, the beleeving of it not being so necessary for the Primitive Church, as now it is, (saith Fisher Bi­shop of Rochester) the esteeme of Indulgences wholly de­pending on Purgatory: for there were no use of Indul­gences, if there were no use of Purgatory. (He proceed­eth) Considering therefore how that Purgatory was for a while unknowne, and that some by degrees received it, partly by Revelations, and partly by Scripture, and that it was so lately known, and received by the whole Church, &c. But by his leave, not by the whole Church, for nei­ther the Greeke, nor all the Latines beleeve it, as was be­fore confessed; and what ground in that kind it hath got­ten, was but of late dayes, it neither being necessary, nor known to the Primitive Fathers, and yet with what confidence doe these learned Archbishops affirme that Christ himselfe appointed it?

3. But they proceed: We in Purgatory are either alto­gether freed, or much eased by the Prayers of men living: yet how that should be, we know not; Usque in hodiernum diem nunquam in Ecclesia sta­tutum fuit, quomodo nostrae preces defunctorum animis prodesse possint. Cassand. de consalt, in art. de Missa. For to this ve­ry day was it never determined by the Church, how our Prayers could profit the dead; as Cassander confesseth. But [Page 93] as Purgatory brought in these Prayers, so doe these Pray­ers uphold Purgatory. The great profit whereof make­ing it so necessary for these last times, which the simpli­city of these former ages could not dive into. But now these three points are fully confirmed for true by these Archbishops.

And now is our Pilgrim returned into the dark Hall, Except. 9. whereinto he first entred: a journey, if we consider it, no lesse wonderfull, than the rest: in twenty and foure houres all on foot traversing more ground, than can be well [...] imagined, going over many large fields, the bounds o most whereof could not by the eye of man be discerned, and passing to The extreamest part of the world. It is said indeed that those malignant spirits did further him in his speed, and needs must he then goe: but if it be so in his going forward, what shall be said for his comming backe? for then none of them could so much as looke on him, but fled at the sight of him. So that his owne footmanship must performe it, where also notwithstand­ing his swift going forward, and the generall Torments he suffered and saw; putting him besides himselfe: yet is he so skilfull in the way, that through all these darke and unknowne passages, he came backe foot by foot, the same way that he went.

Neither is his eye-sight any thing dazled, or impaired Except. 10. by the transoendent light in Paradise, surpassing the glory of the Sunne. But entring into that spacious and dark hall, of which before, he could by the Twilight discerne those men, whom hee had formerly met there, distinguishing their number, Twelve, and their Actions, signing him with the signe of the Crosse. Here also he met and knew his Companion the English Knight that went in with him, who it seemeth, went no further than that Hall, being so tired out with labour and Torments, that he could not returne without the Uiscounts helpe; where what Tor­ments he endured more than the other, we heare not: And if he were tormented, he had the same remedy propound­ed [Page 94] to him that was to the Viscount, the pronouncing of the blessed Name of IESUS, by which he might be de­livered: of which it is supposed he did make use, other­wise he could not be freed; and if he did, how came he to be so extraordinarily oppressed? or rather whence was it that he did not utterly perish in not going for­ward? that being the onely thing those spirits are said to labour, to stop men in their journey by faire or foule meanes, thereby to destroy them bodie and soule; as in the former passages hath been at large described.

But why dally we thus with this Counterfeit? whom Except. 11. it is now time to unmask: and we shall fully discover the fraud by observing the circumstances of the time, and persons, when, and with whom; which here for the better colouring of the matter are very punctually de­scribed.

His owne relation is in substance this: y When Charles the French King was dead, this Viscount went to Iohn King of Aragon his Soveraigne, by whom he was imploy­ed with Command of three Gallyes for the assisting of Pope Clement, and after the death of Clement, he served his Successor Benedict the thirteenth, during which time his king dying, he with Benedicts benediction left Avignion, going on in his pilgrimage to S. Patrickes Purgatory: when? Anno 1328. in what moneth? September, what day of that month? on the feast of the blessed Virgin: about what time of the day? About the evening: Can anything be more punctuall? but behold further circumstances yet? From Paris he goeth with the French Kings letters to his Sonne in Law Richard King of England: by Richard he is sent into Ireland with other letters to the then Deputy, the Earle of March, Richards brothers Sonne; and from him he goeth to the Lord Primate, and then into this Pur­gatory. What can be more precise? We have the yeare, month, day, & almost the very houre. The Places and Per­sons, we know: who could thinke the man meant before so many witnesses to play his Legerdemaine tricks; like [Page 95] Iuglers, who trusse up their sleeves before they begin their feates, and all this but to avoid suspition: now see him in his colours.

Know therefore first, that in the year one thousand three 1. hundred twenty and eight, the time of this supposed pil­grimage, Benedict the thirteenth was not Pope, neither of a long time after. But Iohn the 21. accounted also the 22. whom succeeded Benedict the tenth, Onuphrijpo [...]. Rom. Chron. pag. 45. 46. 47. (or the twelfth as he is also esteemed) after him Clement the sixt, Innocent the sixt, Urban the fift, Gregory the eleventh, and Vrban the sixt, with whom stood in Competition, as Anti-pope, Clement the seventh, in the yeare 1389. whom followed in that Schisme this Benedict the 11. or the 13. in the yeare 1394. which two last are they who are here mentioned, of which the last, that is to say, Be­nedict the thirteenth was before called Petrus de Luna, and an Aragonoes, a motive for the King of Aragon to be an assistant unto him, Cujus populi magna ex parte Benedicto ob­temperabant. Platina de vita Pont. Ioh. 13. pag. 271. whose subjects for the most part obeyed Benedict, saith Plaitina; so that as this pilgri­mage was to be in the yeare 1328. and in Benedict the thirteenth his time, Successor to Clement: it is apparant that by that computation, it should have been before Clement sixty and one yeares: and before Benedict sixty six yeares: An error so grosse that it had need to have gone with our Viscount to that Purgatory to be purged with him. But this is not all.

For secondly, after the decease of Charles the fourth 2. King of France, there succeeded in the yeare 1328. Phillip of Valois, to whom in England Edward the third was Contemporary, this Edward began his Reigne anno 1326. two yeares before, and dyed in the fifty first yeare of his Reigne. To him succeeded Richard the second here spoken off: And in a Parliament held anno 1385. which was the ninth year of Richards Reigne, Iohn Stow Chron. Angl. Ri­chard 2. Anno 1385. pag. 347, was Roger Mor­timer Earle of March proclaimed Heire apparant to the Crowne: Shortly after which, this Roger sailed into Ireland where he was Deputy: at which time this pil­grimage [Page 96] was said to be: for from the French King he brought letters to Richard, and from Richard to the Earle of March then Deputy: But deducting two yeares from the fifty and one yeares of Edward the third, the remaine is fortie nine, to which adde nine yeares of Richards Reigne, at which time the Earle of March was Depu­ty; it maketh up fifty and eight yeares, so that by this com­putation this Pilgrimage must have beene 58. yeares be­fore this yeare of Richard, and as many before the Earle of March; for so long is there between the yeare 1328. & 1386. The time of his being Deputy, and how these things will hang together, I see not.

Neither can this be supposed to be such a mistake, as that the figures might be mis printed 1328. for 1386. for in the Margent of that Legend the figures are 1328. but in the body of the Discourse it is thus at large; Prosiciscor anno post ortū Domini, vigesi­mo octavo su­pra millessimū trecentessimū. Philip. O Sull. hist. cath. Hiber. tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 19. I did set forward in the yeare after the birth of our Lord, One thousand three hundred twenty and eight. And the same Author in another booke set out since relating the same story, hath it in the same words at large, Anno Domi­ni milessimo trecentessino octavo. Philip. O Sull. patr. de­cad. lib. 9. cap. 9 pag. 117 In the yeare one thousand three hundred twenty and eight, not in figures.

But it is yet more inconsistent. For Richard King of England, is said to be Sonne in Law to the then French King, unto whom Letters recommendatory are brought by the Viscount from his Father in Law. True it is that Richard was affianced unto Isabell daughter of Charles the sixt of France, but that was so farre from being in the yeare One thousand three hundred twentie and eight, that is was in the year one thousand three hundred ninty six that is sixty and eight years after. Neither could it be when the Earle of March was Deputie of Ireland, which was about the yeare One thousand three hundred eightie and five, nine or ten yeares before: so that either Richard was not Son in Law to the French King, or the Earle of March was not Deputy, when the Viscount came into Ireland. Neither is it lesse absurd which is added, That [Page 97] the Earle of March, the Deputy having received the King and Queene of Englands letters, did honourably receive him. For what Letters could the Queen write? shee was but seven years old, when he was (as I said) affianced to Richard: and not full twelve, when by the Lord Hen­ry Piercy she was brought backe into France after Ri­chards death. Neither could she write to the Earle of March being Deputy of Ireland, unlesse we should sup­pose her to have written three or foure yeares before she was borne.

And as foolishly is the Earle of March made to be Richards brothers Sonne, Richard having no Brother, he being the sole surviving Sonne of Edward the black Prince: And Roger Mortimer being the great grand­child of Edward the Third descended from Philip daugh­ter of Lionell, third sonne of Edward the Third, which Lionell was brother to that Edward the black Prince, and Uncle to Richard.

So that considering this Masse of absurdities from first to last, any one I suppose may well guesse how false this Legend is: and this Imposture may give just cause to suspect this and all others of the like Fables. But I much wonder that the translator O Sullevan, whose faculty was singular that way, did not helpe out the matter better than he hath done: but either he saw it not, or if he did, he thought it dangerous to stirre in it, and to raise up any doubts, supposing it might as well passe after, as hitherto it had without discovery; thinking it may be that none would so farre question it.

Neither could O Sullevan be so simple, as to conceive such a childish dreame could passe without some obser­vation: therefore to prevent it, he laboureth to cast a mist before his Readers eyes. If this History, saith he, be in any thing, which we have shewed in many things, if not in all, hard to be beleeved; what then? Let him that desireth to be satisfied reade Dionysius Carthusianus, who reporteth like Histories of others who returned from this [Page 98] Purgatory. But what are like Histories to this? what if they be as false as this? But Dionysius, saith he, doth pro­secute the matter at large, answering all Arguments and doubts that can be made against it. This indeed is to some purpose if so it prove: but I rather suspect this to be O Sullevans cunning to direct the Reader, and take him off from prying too neare into that of the Viscount, yet least we may seeme to prejudicate him; let us heare what Dionysius doth say to this purpose.

First (saith he) Dionysius confirmeth this by the like Re­lations. He indeed among other Histories, proving that Soules departed are purged in such flames, giveth us one of Tondall an Irish Knight, who lived about Henry of Saltry's dayes. Claruit eo tempore quo Tondalus in Hibernia Car­thusianus à purgatorio su­scitacus ad suos redierat vilio­nes enarrans. Iohan. Balaeus de script. B [...] C [...]nt. 2. cap. 77. pag. 189. He (Balaeus speaking of that Henry) flourished then when Tondall the Carthusian in Ireland being revived returned to his owne from Purgatory re­porting visions; calling him a Carthusian, whom in others we reade a Knight: it may be as Owen the Knight putting himselfe into the Cistercian Order, so he into the Carthusians. Neither were they farre distant from each other; both Owen and Tondall being in K. Stevens dayes, this last being about the twelfth yeare of his Reigne, both which administred abundant matter for Henry to write.

The Legend of Tondall is this in effect: that his Soule was separated from his bodie three dayes; like that which we before did reade of Tymarchus, whose Soule was sent on the like errand two dayes and one night. In this differing from that of Owen, whose body also went along. This Soule of Bestia incre­dibilis magni­tudinis cujus os videbatur posse capere novem millia hominum ar­matorum, intia quam erant multa millia virorum & mu­lierū dira tor­menta luentiū. Porrò per lacū erat pons lon­gitudinis dua­rum milliariū, & latitudinis palmae unius, cui inserta erat tabula clavis ferreis accutissimis plena. Stagnus amplus & tempestuosus in quo erant terribiles bestiae mugientes, nec aliud postulantes quam animas devorare. Dixi [...] Angelus, oportet te pontem istum transire, nec vacua ibis, sed vaccam indomi­tam quam (dum in corpore eras) compatri tuo furata fuisti, oportet tecum ducere, & illaesam mihi ultra pontem exhibere. Tunc anima ait, quomodo ego miserrima potero transducere vaccam in tali periculo, ubi stare non possum omnino? Videns autem ani­ma, quod oporteret eam sic facere, coepit reluctantem trahere vaccam, & cum ea ire per pontem. Et cum staret anima, cadobat vacca, & cum staret vacca cadebat anima, sic (que) vice versa, modo stabant, modo cadebant, quousque venerunt ad medium pontis, &c. Dionys. Carth. de judic. anima art. 21. pag. 418. & 419. Tondall is by an Angell conducted [Page 99] into Purgatory, where it saw many strange things, among the rest, a beast of incredible greatnesse, which may easily be believed; whose mouth seemed capable of nine thousand armed men, just nine thousand, within whom were many thousands of men and women grievously tormented, this was a thing not observed by Owen the Knight, or that our Viscount (for this Purgatory is be­holding to these great Titles of Viscounts and Knights for the upholding of the credit of it) but to goe on. This Soule of Tondall is brought to a place, where over a lake there was a bridge two miles long, and but one palme broad, full of sharpe iron nailes, under this bridge there was a large and tempestuous Lake, in which were terrible beasts roaring, and desiring nothing more than to devoure Soules. Then the Angell that did conduct this soule, said to it; Thou must goe over that bridge, neither shalt thou goe empty, but must leade over an untamed cow which thou didst steale from thy God-father, for which good service it may be he was knighted. Then said the Soule. How I can I, miserable that I am, doe this in such danger, and where I cannot stand? how ridiculous? surely the Au­thor forgetting he was discoursing of a soule, but the Soule seeing that the thing must be done, began to draw and struggle with the Cow, going therewith upon the bridge; for when the Soule stood, the Cow was downe, and when it was up, the Soule fell downe; so by turnes, some­times up and sometimes downe, untill they came to the midst of the bridge, &c. whom we meane not to follow. Yet now we see the matter brought to a good passe, for Cowes also goe into Purgatory and Paradise.

And that this Fable may not want something, where­in to liken it to that of the Viscount, let it be enquired, whether this Bridge be not the same of which we before read, called the Bridge of Calamity, generally observed in pilgrimages of this kind, leading from Purgatory over Hell, into Paradise; or whether both of them be not the same with that which Philippus Lonicerus de­scribeth [Page 100] in the Turkish Purgatory, and serving for the same use, Pontem qué sera cuplissi, id est pontem ju­stitiae nomināt fornicis instar convexum, &c ferro accutis­simo constru­ctum transire coguntur. Ex altera parte pōtis istius qui toti in malitia fuer intsubmer­si protinus in aeternas infer­ni paenas prae­cipitabantur. Vbi igni con­sumpti, subinde ad novas in ae­ternum dura­turas rem scé­tur. [...]x altera vero parte ij qui in malitia non omnino fuere indurati in ignem pur­gatorium deci­dēt, ex quo pro peccatorū con­ditione vel ci­rius vel tardius liberati in pa­radisi gaudia suscipientur. Phil. Lonicer. Tu [...]c. Chron. lib. 2. cap. 23. called Sera cuplissi, or the bridge of Justice, contex like an Archor Vault, and made of sharpe iron, over which soules are compelled to passe: on the other side, whereof such as are given over to malice are cast headlong into the Eternall paines of Hell, where being consumed with Fire, they are againe renewed to new paines unto Eternity. But on the other part of the bridge, such as are not indurate in malice, doe fall into the fire of Pur­gatory, out of which according to the nature of their faults they are sooner or later delivered, and received into the joyes of Paradise. So that O Sullevans words are most true, that Dionysius doth report like Histories, like unto that of this Viscount. We have heard one. Another also you may there have of Nicholas an English Monke, which seemeth to me to agree in all things with the vision of Tondall, saith Carthusianus. Quae videtur mihi per omnia visioni Tondali consonare. Dionys. Carth. ibid. art. 23. pag. 427. This is the same which we reade in Petrus de Natalibus, and in the Golden Le­gend, in the life of S. Patrick, if he whom Dionysius cal­leth a Monke be the same with him whom Iacobus de Voragine stileth a Nobleman. Carthusianus hath there a third Narration (that there may be no want) of a certaine Knight that went into S. Patricks Purgatory: likely it is, he meaneth that Owen, whom we have so often menti­oned out of Henry of Saltry, who also may be meant by Dionysius, when he saith, This History is commonly read in the booke which is intituled of S. Quae communiter legitur in libello, qui de purgatorio sancti Patricij intitulatur. Dionys. ibid. art. 24. Patricks Purgatory.

If these be the Histories which O Sullevan meaneth that be like, and doe confirme that his Legend: I shall easily confesse the likensse, and infinite such like might he reckon up: but without any force, and to no purpose; all of them rather arguing the Cunning, if not the chil­dishnesse of the inventors, and the blind superstition and credulities of the beleevers.

[Page 101] But O Sullevan addeth. That Dionysius doth satisfie all doubts, and answereth all the Arguments that can be brought against it; this would we gladly see. I doe passe by many objections there made, and will fixe onely on one of them.

Carthusianus setteth forth a discourse betweene the Soule of Tondall and the two Archbishops, who it seem­eth are ex officio the common entertainers of the Purgato­ry pilgrims. Nos omnes per loca paena­rum ad requiē istam transivi­mus ad quam etiam venient omnes quos in Purgatorij pae­nis vidisti cum fuerint expur­gati. Nullus nostrum novit quamdiu hic c­rit, & licet ab omni hic liberi sumus culpa, ad supernā ta­men sanctorum laetitiam non­dum digni su­mus ascendere, quotidie socie­tas nostra cre­scit & decre­scit, dum singu­lis diebus & è paenis ad nos & à nobis ad ce­lestem ascendi­tur paradisum. Dionys. Carth. ibid. fol. 436. We all (say they) are come to this rest, ha­ving passed thorow those places of punishment: whither also shall all those come whom in purgatory thou hast seene tormented? and that after they be purged, None of us know­eth how long he shall continue here: and howsoever we are without any spot of sinne, yet are we not worthy to ascend into that felicitie of the Saints which is above: Every day our Societie increaseth and decreaseth, some comming to us out of punishment, and some ascending from us into that celestiall Paradise. If these Archbishops be the same who instructed our Viscount, they have made residence larger than ordinary in that place, almost 200. yeares: whereas every day one or other still ascendeth from them, which daily ascending from that Paradise is some Modification of that which in Venerable Bede we reade. Ven. Bede in hist. Eccles. Ang. lib. 5. cap. 13. That they were to continue there till the day of Iudgement, which gave so great cause of offence that it had gone neare to que­stion all. Of which Hae revelationes Bedae & Carthusiani, nisi metaphoram aliquam contineant mi­hi non faciunt fidem, quia illa visio apud Bedam dicit in illo loco amoeno maneri us­que ad diem judicij, quod incredibile est de omnibus affirmare, & contra Ecclesiae suffragia. Suarez Ies. tom. 4. in Thom. disp. 46. sect. 4. num. 6. & §. [...]ium. 12. & 13. Suarez the Iesuite, Those Revelati­ons of Bede and Carthusianus, if they containe not some Metaphor, cannot winne credit with me, (saith he) for in that Vision in Bede, it is said, that Soules remaine in that place of pleasure untill the day of Iudgement, which is incredible, and contrary to the suffrages of the Church. He layeth at both Bede and Dionysius, yet seemeth onely to fasten on the former, for in that of Dionysius, neither are all Soules there staid, nor so long a time as untill the [Page 102] day of Iudgement, but each day one or other passing thence into the celestiall paradise: yet it seemeth that this is no lesse disliked than the other. For Dionysius himselfe bringeth one thus disputing with him, Hic apertissi­mè dicitur quod à Purga­torio non asce­ditur ad Para­disum caelestem nisi per terre­strē, cujus op­positū, sicut & tu certius no­sti, dicunt Do­ctores commu­niter, & qui multipliciter probant quod satisfactione in purgatorio per solutâ, animae mox volant in coelum Empy­raeum. Quod & rationabile esse videtur, cū milla sit causa dilationis â gloriâ quam culpae reatus. Denique sicut praehabitū est. Sola dilatio que & p [...]na damni dicitur, excedit in ani­mabus sepera­ti, omnem paenam vitae praesentis. S [...] ergo animae in Paradiso terrestri nondum Deo beatificè perfr [...]tur, ergo sunt ibidem in gravissima paena. Dionys. Carth. ibid. art. 25. It is here plaine­ly affirmed that they ascend not from Purgatory to the cele­stiall Paradise, but by the terrestriall: The contrary where­of as you may best know, the Doctors doe commonly teach and many wayes they prove, that satisfaction being made in Purgatory, the Soules immediately fly into the Emperiall heaven; which also seemeth very reasonable, seeing there is no cause hindring from glory, but the guilt of sinne. Lastly, as before was shewed, this onely delay and keeping souls from Glory, which is cal'd the punishment of losse, doth in them exceed all the paines of this present life: If there­fore Soules have not the beatificall fruition of God in this earthly Paradise, then are they in most grievous paine. Hitherto that Objection which seemeth to me at once both to strike wholly at that Paradise, as a thing utterly unusefull, and tacitely also to overthrow Purgatory it selfe; for the use of Purgatory is, that satisfaction may be made for the punishment of sinne, not for the guilt. Satisfactio non offertur pro culpa, sed pro paena. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Poenitent. cap. 1. The guilt being in this life remitted: therefore according to the former Conclusion, if no cause hindreth Soules from glory, but the guilt of sinne, that being before remitted, why should they be arrested in any Purgatory by the way? but this onely by the way. Wee rather expect an answer to that Objection made to Dionysius.

The question is discussed on both sides, Dionys. [...]bid. art. 30. p. 458. 459. 460, 461 462. 463. on the one part are brought the Testimonies of the Schoolemen and Fathers, confirmed also with seaven Reasons, proving that Soules throughly purged in Purgatory, immediately ascend thence into Heaven: On the contrary are alleadged inducements, Ibid. art. 31. p. 463, &c. drawne from Visions, such as were those, [Page 103] of which before: But where is the determination of the question? Our Author professeth he dare not undertake to be a stickeler in it. His words are these, Veruntamen [...]ee Doctoribus cōtradico pro­pter visiones, nec propter do­ctorum traditi­onem aud [...]o, tot sanctorum, hominū visio­nes & revela­tiones appella­re phantasticas aut mendosas, quandiu Ec­clesiae super hoc nihil deter­minat, nam & qui eas scripse­runt & appro­baverunt, fue­runt religiosis­simi & doctissi­mi viri. Idem. ibid. I will not contradict the Doctors because of these visions. Neyther for the Doctors dare I call so many visions and revelati­ons of holy men phantasticall or false; while the Church determineth nothing of these things. For they that have written, and approved of them were religious and learned men. Thus he, wherein hee seemeth to mee like him of whom Canus speaketh. Vidit aetas no­stra sacerdotem cui persuasissi­mum fuit nihil omnino falsum esse quod semel Typis fuisset excusum. Ca­nus loc. Theol. lib. 11. cap. 6. pag. 336. There was a Priest. (saith he) who was most certainely perswaded, that nothing could be false that was once Printed. But is there no bet­ter to be found? None, For being prest with it, in the end of thirtie Articles, this is all that can be gotten from from him, and indeed it is sufficient, being that hee ma­keth a question of it, whether it can be answered. Horum deter­minationem alijs magis commitro, & si concordari haec queant peritis relinquo: quia nec tantis Doctoribus, nec tot revelationibus contradicere audeo; determinationi Ec­clesiae haec tutius committuntur. Dionys. Carth. ibid. art. 30. pag. 467. I leaue (saith he) the determination of these things to others, rather referring them to the learned, if they can bee ac­corded, for as for me I dare neyther contradict so great Doctors, nor so many revelations: But these things would more safely be left to the determination of the Church. So that now we are as far to seeke as at the first: And let any one judge, whether O Sullevan did not trifle with his Reader, when hee sent him to this man for a Resolu­tion.

Neyther is this a new question; neyther is it of small moment, and by the Ancients this is esteemed a sufficient argument for the rejecting of this fabulous Purgatory al­together, of which Vincentius Belluacensis who lived An­no 1240. contemporary with Matthew Paris, both of them living in the next age to Henry of Saltry, Vincentius I say, sheweth this not to bee his owne private opi­nion alone, but of many others. His words are these.

[Page 104] Verum histo­ria haec à mul­tis non recipi­tur propter il­lud maximè quod ibi dictū est Animas à purgatorio li­beratas nō sta­tim ad caelum evolare, sed in Paradiso terre­stri tanquam in loco quietis intermedio tē ­poraliter com­manere. Cum è contra nullus credatur locus esse medius a­nimarum inter purgatorium & caelestem pa­radisum. Vin­cent. Belluacen. speculo Histor. tom. 4. lib. 20. cap. 24. p. 270. But this history is not by many receiued, chiefly because it is there said, that Soules which are freed from Purga­tory doe not presently fly up into heaven, but remaine some­time in a terrestriall Paradise, as in an intermediate place of rest, and that after a certaine time they passe thence in­to those heavenly Pallaces; whereas on the contrary there is no middle place of Soules acknowledged betweene Pur­gatory and the Celestiall Paradise. Thus hee, which quite overthroweth that fo [...]d dreame and foolish inven­tion of that Paradise before, so much spoken off. Which words of Vincentius are cited by Antoninus Archbishop of Florence, treating of Saint Patrickes Purgatory, where we have this Marginall observation, Purgatorij sancti Patricij historia nō re­cipitur. Ant. Archi [...]p. Floren. Ch [...]on. tit. 1. ca. 18. § 2. de Patricio Anno Domini [...]00. pag. 202. part. 2. opera & studio Petri Maturi [...] so [...]ate Ies [...]. of Petrus Ma­turus the Iesuit. The history of Saint Patrickes Purgato­ry is not received, but yet the matter must be by Antoni­nus salved thus. Sed si dicatur (ut à quibusdam de illis partibus communiter as­seritur) quod post mansionem in isto loco purgatorij per aliquod tempus breve in quo sustinent magnas paenas & laesiones à Daemonibus, tantum per imaginationem inde egressi in mundo vivant ut alij, & per illas paenas purgatorij satisfaciant paenis de­bitis pro peccatis nullum videtur sequi inconveniens. Idem ibid. But if it be said, as commonly as it is affirmed by some of those parts, that after some stay in that place of Purgatory, where they endure great paines and hurt from Devils, which yet is onely by Imagination, they doe after returne into the world and live as others, and by these paines of Purgatory doe satisfie the punish­ments due for their sinnes, there seemeth none inconveni­ence to follow. Thus Antoninus; which how it doth reach Vincentius, I know not: he onely speaking of souls separated from their bodyes, and freed from Purgatory. To which this answer of Antoninus can no way serve: for to discourse of Men yet alive going into S. Patricks Purgatory, and returning again; is quite another thing from Vincentius his purpose: who by overthrowing the resting in that earthly Paradise, would conclude the false­hood of those relations of men going in S. Patricks Pur­gatory: For if Vincentius his opinion be true, then those [Page 105] reports of Owen the Knight, this Viscount, and others that speake of that Earthly Paradise, and the use thereof, for receiving soules freed from Purgatory are utterly false: which if so; we have no great cause to trust them in the rest. No more than that their sufferings while they were in Purgatory, and those strange sights were things outwardly acted, and really felt; being, if we beleeve An­toninus onely Imaginary; surely too weake a foundation for so great Devotion.

Neither doth this doubt puzzle your Dionysius and Antoninus alone: but others also, who have undertaken the Quarrell against Vincentius, have come off with as little successe, and particularly Gabriel [...]ennottus, although he seemeth to make no great matter of it; & professeth purposely against Vincenti [...]. Nec enim ob­stat quod loco citato Vincen­tius Belluacē ­sis contra [...] ­dictam Histo­riam opponit illam à multis non recepipro­pter illud ma­xime, quod di­cat animas a purgatorio li­beratas nō sta­tim evolate in cael [...], sed in paradiso ter [...] ­stri tanquam in loco quietis▪ intermedio tē ­pore comma­nere, & posteae statuto tempo­re in patriam pervenire. N [...] nullus est ex omnibus quos de hac re [...]cribentes legere potui, qui dixerit illud fuisse purgatorium animarum corpore solutarum quae à paenis purgatae, non statim ad caelum evolarent: sed in quiunt fuisse purgatorium viventium qui verè poenitentes illud ingressi, & pae­nas illas atrocissimas sive per veram passionem, sive per imaginariam apprehensionem sustinentes, à paenis omnibus pro peccatis debitis purgabantur; quemadmodum alij infiniti in hac vita degentes pro paenis iliorum peccatis in purgatorio debitis, hic vel per jejunia, vel per alia poenitentia opera, vel per indulgentiarum applicationem sa­tisfaciant, qui nisi nova peccata admiserint, ex hac vita migrantes ad caelum sine alio purgatorio statim evolant. Quae sententia tam probabilis est & Catholica, ut non pos­sit ab aliquo nisi in hac parte ignaro erroris insimulari. Gabr. Pennotus Hist. trip [...]. Cleric. ( [...]. lib. 2. cap. 34. Col. 2. num. 2. pag. 363. It nothing hindreth (saith hee) that in that place cited Vincentius Belluacensis op­poseth the said History for this cause principally, [That Soules freed from Purgatory doe not immediately fly into Heaven: but remaine for some time in the terrestriall Paradise, as in a middle place of rest, and that after at the appointed time, they goe into their Countrey] for there is none that I could read, who have written of this thing, that make this to be a Purgatory for Soules separated from their bodies, which should being purged presently fly into Heaven. But they say that it is a Purgatory for the li­ving, who being truely penitent, and entring thereinto; suf­fering also the grievous paines thereof, either by a reall [Page 106] passion or imaginary apprehension, they shall be purged from all the punishments due to their sinnes. In like man­ner as infinite others in this life doe satisfie for the paines which their sinnes deserve, either by fasting, or other works of Penance, or by application of Indulgences: who, if they shall not commit new sins, and should so goe out of the world, they fly immediately into heaven, without passing through any other Purgatory: which opinion is so probable and catholike, that it cannot be accused of any error, if not by him who is herein ignorant. Thus Pennottus, whereby it seemeth that Antoninus needed not so farre to have troubled himselfe to prove S. Patricks Purgatory to be onely for the living, and not for the Soules separated from their bodies. And as little need had Pennottus to have ta­ken so much paines for it as he: yet not as he would have it, because none ever opposed it; and therefore was it wisely done of him to restraine it to his owne Reading: for we finde O Sullevan mainely contending for it, and indeed the very relations of Pilgrimages thither import no lesse; For if they make S. Patricks Purgatory to be onely the Cave, on first Entrance, I suppose they will finde very few that will say, That to be the place of Torments, expiating the punishment of sinne: and there­fore the Pilgrims were driven to goe much further into (I know not what) places of paine & torture, and there also to have suffered corporally such punishments, as were thought sufficient for to purge them; where I hope they will not say that these infinite numbers seene there tor­mented, were all living men, but rather soules separated from their bodies; how then is it onely for the living? but in respect of Vincentius, both Antoninus and Pennottus might have spared their labour as unnecessary: Vincentius as was said, wholly opposing the staying of Soules in the terrestriall Paradise after they be freed from Purgatorie: and what else doth Pennotus conclude here? but at last he joyneth hands with him adding further, that if men in this world satisfying for their sinnes by fasting, or [Page 107] other works of penance; or having the benefit of indul­gencies should immediately dye without committing new sinnes, they immediately fly into Heaven; without passing through any Purgatory, or staying in the terre­striall Paradise, which must be if they passe forthwith in­to Heaven. And this he sheweth to be the Catholike and soundest opinion, being without any error, not to be contradicted, but by ignorant men: what then shall we judge of those Archbishops in Paradise who taught the contrary? Shall we accuse them of ignorance? or thinke their opinion neither probable nor Catholike; if we did it were no more than could well be justified. And of what use should that Earthly Paradise be, for receiving Soules purged; for if Soules be purged, by the Catho­like opinion, they fly immediately into Heaven in the instant of their death, why not then as well being fully purged, as they say they are, in Purgatory? which do­ctrine, if they will allow with Vincentius, which also none but ignorant men will contradict, saith Pennotus, That Paradise must vanish, and all the dreames and Fables thereof must be foolish, fantasticall, and all to be rejected, and with it, those fictions and pilgrimages before spoken must also of necessity fall with it to the ground, as Vin­centius thence justly concluded.

Hitherto have we heard onely one Objection made against this Purgatory, and the Legends of it: whereunto O Sullevan promised we should have received full satis­faction from Dionysius, but if this be too hard, what doth he then say to the rest? many other doubts are moved to him: to which he ingeniously confesseth himselfe unable to answer, professing himselfe more desirous to be taught by others than to teach. For (saith he) answering his op­poser, Fortia sunc quae moves, & difficilia ad sol­vendum; mal­lemque super his instrui quā docere, unde nec de ista ma­teria volo quid dicere cum as­sertione incau­tâ. Dionys. Cart. ibid. art. 25. [...] fine. You move strongly, and such things as are hard to be resolved; wherein I should rather chuse to be instru­cted my selfe, than to instruct: therefore I will not say any thing rashly. How warily? and yet could O Sullevan with his wonted confidence, without blushing tell us, [Page 108] that if the Reader would peruse Dionysius, he should be satisfied of all the Difficulties that might arise in that hi­story of the Viscount, surely a most subtile and cunning put off.

But although his first witnesse fall short, yet is not O Sullevan without other pregnant Testimonies, able to confirme the Truth of that Legend; For (saith he) Et alij autho­res plura & multa purgato­rij cruciamen­ta tradunt. Phi­lip. O Sull. ubi [...]. Other Authors relate many more paines of Purgatory, if these (who yet are not named) speak as much as his other we have alreadie more then enough. But he addeth, Virgill also singeth of this, If I had an hundreth mouths, &c. Here, I confesse something may be found to this purpose. For in Virgill we have this Pilgrimage of the Viscount, so sively set out in all the parts thereof, that as was said Quod & Vir­gilius canit. Si mihi sunt lin­guae centum, &c. ibid. of Trophonius his den compared with this Cave of S. Patricks Purgatory. The Tales are so like, that one may well beleeved to have risen out of the other.

And herein O Sullevan, or any other cannot thinke any wrong to be to their cause offered, out of Heathen Au­thors to prove their Purgatory: it is one of Bellarmine's best Bellar. de pur­ga. lib. 1. cap. 11. Arguments, which O Sullevan himselfe maketh use of, alleaging Plato, Tully, Claudian and Ovid O Sull. Patr. decad. lib. 1. c. 9.. Yea, (saith he) Illud etiam à Mahumetan. admitri Alco­ranus Mahu­metonae legis liber monstrat. ibid, The Alcaron which is the booke of the Ma­humetane Law, doth shew that Mahumetans doe admit of a Purgatory: Let us not therefore rob him of this Testi­mony out of Virgill. Neither let the Reader thinke it tedious, that we make the paralell betweene the Poets description of Aeneas his going to Purgatory, Hell, and Paradise, with this our Viscounts pilgrimage into S. Pa­tricks Purgatory.

1. To begin with the description of the place, we have heard it to be a Rockie place, environed with a Lake, about which were woods and mountaines; in which was a deep and darke Cave, agreeing with that in Virgill Vitg. Aencid. lib. 6,.

2. What was it that moved the Viscount to under­take this pilgrimage, and descend into this Cave? I ear­nestly desired (saith he) To know in what state the Soule of the King was; John King of Aragon his Soveraigne de­ceased, whom he saw and discoursed withall. And Aeneas his errand was to see and discourse with his Father An­chises.

3. What is the custome when any one is to enter into this Purgatory. He is disswaded from entring, the danger is propounded; and principally, that some have gone thither who never returned. I confesse saith the Prior to the Vis­count: The discent into Purgatory is easie, but the dfficul­tie is in returning. So is Aeneas told.

4. But what if disswasions prevaile not? then is the Ad­venturer instructed, and thus the Viscount; change yet thy mind saith the Prior to him; But if thou wilt not­withstanding proceed, attend then while I tell what shall hap­pen to thee. So is Aeneas deale withall.

5. Now is our pilgrim on his journey: where see how, and whither within the Cave he went. I entred into a place extreamely darke, destitute of any light, but the dark­nesse, being passed over; I did enter into a large Hall, yet ha­ving no more light then is our Winter twilight, (saith he) not much unlike Aeneas his passage.

6. What then hapned to our Viscount? He is encoun­tred with malignant spirits, using all perswasions to make him retire: Protesting that: I went (saith he) with great error and madnesse drawn on to descend into a place not to [Page 111] be troden by living men. So is Aeneas entertained by Charon.

7. But there are many dangers to be runne through; how shall they be avoyded? the Viscount is to that end prescribed a certaine forme of words, by which the evill spirits as charmed flye from him, and he is delivered from whatsoever Torment. So hath Aeneas a bough given to him to that purpose, by shewing whereof he appeased the Fury of Cerberus.

8. What strange sights doth the Viscount see? Dra­gons, Serpents, burning moles, Lizards, and what not see there.

9. How are they punished there? Some hanging by the necke, armes, legges; some in fire, others in water, each one according to his deserts. So in Aeneas his Purgatory.

10. In a word, No words, no tongue, no not an hundred in one can expresse the kindes and manner of Torments there inflicted, which is expressed there in the same words, as the same is in the Poet.

11. From Hell the Viscount passeth into Paradise, so doth Aeneas.

12. See the description of it, The ayre free, the soyle pleasant, more glorious than the Sunne; the fields green, and the Company therein diversly recreating themselves, wal­king, dancing, singing, &c. fully agreeing with that other.

13. In this place are received the Soules of those who are delivered out of Purgatory, where they rest some while, being admitted to ascend into that heavenly Paradise imme­diately, although without any spot of sinne: each day some going out of Purgatory into Paradise, and out of Para­dise into Heaven. So the Elizian fields, the Poets Para­dise.

14. To conclude all, that it may appeare all this to be but a dreame and fiction: our Viscount must begin and end, this is subterraneall Pilgrimage sleeping. So is Aeneas said to returne from his Cave, through one of the gates of sleep, and of them that whence not true dreames but fancies are said to proceed, as is there discribed.

Thus have we seen, neither can it be denyed, but that this is one of the most pregnant proofes for this Purga­tory, the description of the place, and the severall passa­ges in the pilgrimage being so sutable.

To conclude then; as in the former Chapter it appea­red, that the Reverence gained to this Purgatory did first proceed from him, who was supposed the Author of it, S. Patricke; and yet with what uncertainty that could [Page 115] be beleeved was there shewed, so here we finde it much more esteemed for it selfe, out of the opinion of the strange effects of it, (Certainely strange if true) and that accompanied with so many strange sights, as were re­ported to be seene: both strong motives to satisfie either Curiosity and Devotion; all which granted, what won­der was it to finde it so much looked after, and so much flocked unto from farre and neare. And yet with what foppery? with how many contradictions? with how great an heap of absurdities this was followed? hath been in this Chapter considered.

So that again and again I say it, it cannot be sufficiently admired, that not onely the multitude, but men other­wise rationall and learned, should be so drawn on, as to relish and digest such grosse Fables and Fooleries, and still to reverence so poore and base a thing as this Cave is: as if men were resolved to be missed; or Rom. 1. 18. 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. Not receiving the love of the Truth, but holding it in unrighteousnesse, God justly sending such strong delusions that should be­leeve a lye.

But yet cannot we judge thus of all; as if all of them had purposely shut their eyes, and captivated their Iudge­ments, so to be led on blind-foulded, and against Reason to beleeve all reports concerning it. For it cannot be thought, that in so long a time and among so many thou­sands of Pilgrims, there being so many eyes to pry into it, it should be possible but that some more ingenious than others should at last discover the Imposture. And there­fore as this Purgatory did grow to that great height: so did it groane under its own burthen, being first discove­red to some few, after to all; and lastly, (and that more than once) deservedly demolished. Of all which more fully in the following Chapter.

HAving formerly sought after the beginning of this Purgatory, And after observed the Rising and increasing of it; Order now leadeth to take notice of its continuance: which if we should begin with the Time of Saint Patrickes converting this Kingdome Anno 432. (unto which it is commonly refer­red) with a supposed continuance thereof untill the yeare one thousand sixe hundred thirtie two, the peryod of its dissolution; It would make up a computation of one thou­sand two hundred yeares. A time surely wonderfull (if true) for so grosse an Imposture to stand without disco­very, even potent States having suffered many alterations in a shorter time; and among others, none more than this Kingdome of Ireland; which also maketh the matter yet more strange, that this Cave should notwithstanding subsist a midst so many combustions: But hee that shall observe the severall passages, shall finde it to have its sen­cible declinings: and that, as it did please God to open the eyes of men, and to disperse the mists of ignorance: So that now by the full Sun-shine of the Gospell, it is quite vanished without any memoriall, which is the thing we are next to search after.

Neyther must the matter be so taken, as if all this were done in an instant; but as it did rise, so fell it by certaine steps and degrees: Yea the very rising not being with­out tottering, and its progresse followed with a continu­all staggering, which notwithstanding it be evident out of what is before declared, yet for the more cleare mani­festation thereof, I shall reduce all that hath beene said unto these three heads, wherein as it were in one view, [Page 117] the rising and falling thereof may at once be apparant.

The first step was out of the beliefe of having the Insti­tution of it, from Saint Patricke the Apostle of the Irish, as being a meanes of the conversion of the Nation. Which were it true, deserved much of that respect and flooking unto it which hath beene afforded it, and as a memorable and ancient monument and memoriall thereof ought it still to be preserved. But this hath fayled it. Saint Pa­trickes age would not owne it, neyther had it a name for many ages, even seven hundred yeares after. And when in the yeare one thousand one hundred and forty it began to peepe up, it would not be acknowledged by some emi­nent persons of that time, by whom Henry of Saltry de­sired to bee informed of it, whereas his Relators for it spake but by heare-say; and so weake was the report, that howsoever it seemed then to get head, yet within fortie five yeares it is husht againe, and no more newes for a while heard of it; I meane in Iocelines times, in the yeare one thousand one hundred eighty five, of which before at large.

Secondly it having notwithstanding these rubs againe recovered its motion, and gained a Name Vbi per diem naturalem pae­nitēs verè ab omnibus pec­catis purgare­tur, & tormen­ta & gaudia vi­deret. Ex Chro. Hart. siue sch [...] ­del. excus. Ann. 1495. of throughly purging a penitent from all his sinnes in the Compasse of a naturall day: where also strange sights of torments and joyes should be discovered to him; by which meanes almost from all parts the concourse thither was so great, as scarcely to be credited; yet even in that very age was it as confidently rejected, as a meere fable not consisting ey­ther with Reason or Religion, as before wee heard out of Vincentius Belluacensis, Anno 1240. being but one hun­dred yeares after that Henry of Saltry: To which I will adde that of Bonaventure the Seraphicall Doctor within 25. yeares of Vincentius Anno 1265. Bellarmin. de script. Eccles. ad Annum 1265. esteeming it no other than a fable; his words are these, Legitur quod sanctus Patri­cius impatravio cuidam quod puniretur in quodam loco in terra, ex hoc fabulosè ortun est, quod ibi es­set purgatori­um. Bonavent. in 4. lib. sent. di­stinct. 20. q. 6. It is written that I Patrick obtayned that one should be punished in a certaine place within the Earth, and from hence it was fa­bulously reported that Purgatory was in that place, which [Page 118] to be meant of this Purgatory, is by Gabriel Pennottus ac­knowledged, by whom it is so farre stretched, as to be a full casting off of all things delivered of it, as Fables. Sane D. Bo­nevent. in 4. d. 20. part. 1. q. ult. Etsi quae de di­cto purgatorio dicti Patricij in universum traduntur, fa­bulosa esse su­spicetur, ait ta­men D. Patrici­um impetrasse cuidam quod puniretur in quodam loco in terrâ. Et ex hoc fabulosè ortum, quod ibi esset pu [...]gato­rium. Vbi vides sanctum docto­rem non nega­re quin poterit sanctus Patri­cius pro aliquo impetrate ut in eo loco pur­garetur. Sed so­lum rejicere sabulam asse­rentium purga­terium ibi [...]loci esse, sicut meri­to rejicienda est. Nam qui de sa [...]i Patri­ [...] purgatorio loquuntur, non diount illud, fuisse Del [...], quo homines hat vita de­gentes & verè poenitentes, pro paenis illorum peccatis in hâc vitâ debitis, ex speciali [...]ne [...]ant. Gabriel Pennot. [...]. Trip [...]. Cleric. Canonic. lib. 2. [...]p. 34. Co [...]. 2. Num: 2. Rom [...]. 1624. Truely (faith he) not withstanding that Bonaventure in 4. dist. 20. par. 1. quaest: ult. suspecteth all, reported of the said Purgatory to be fabulous, yet he saith that S. Patrick obtained that one should be punished in a certaine place of the earth, out of which it was fabulously reported that Purgatory was there. This you see is confessed, but Pen­nottus his glosse followeth. Where (saith he) you see that the holy Doctor denieth not but that S. Patrick might obtaine, that one might be purged in that place: But onely he rejecteth that Fable of those, who affirme that Purgato­ry was there, as justly it was to be rejected: for they that spake of S. Patricks Purgatory, say not that it is a Pur­gatory of Soules, wherein they, by the ordinary appoint­ment of God, are purged in the life to come; but to be a speciall Purgatory for the living, in which men even in this life being truely penitent, may by the speciall favour of God, satisfie the punishments due to their sinnes. Where, what Bonaventure speaketh only on report, without in­gaging his own Iudgement, Pennottus delivereth con­fidently, as if the Doctor hath granted it, that one should be so purged. Neither is the word (as Pennottus would have it) purged, but punished; agreeing better with that of Cambrensis before: that S. Patrick made request to satisfie them who denyed the paines of Hell, and that God would grant some visible demonstration thereof to that people. Neither was that such as was to continue in all ages; But as Bonaventure here terminating it in some one person, who was so to be punished, as an example to others: Neither is this so confidently delivered by the [Page 119] Doctor, as if it were done, but (as Pennottus relateth it) that such a thing might be done; and if it were granted to be done; a particular fact would be farre short for a perpetuall establishment of it for a place of penance, much lesse for a Purgatory. And for Pennottus his evasion, that the Doctor did therefore reject all this as a Fable, sup­posing that it was meant, that the Purgatory of Soules was there, where they say S. Patricks Purgatory is: which Pennottus saith, none doth affirme. First, we have no cause to thinke the Doctor so to have imagined, but rather that no Purgatory was there, for the question is of one certaine man then living, whom S. Patrick is reported to have had punished in a certaine place in the earth. Next Pennottus doth say no more here; then what he saith of Vincentius in the same case, of which before: for that the Purgatory of Soules is under or within the Cave, hath been shewed to have been a received opinion among his Authors, Supra pag. 108. See also the Epist. Deare. of O Sullevan not doubting of it, but making it a thing very cer­taine. and agreeable with all the pilgrimages re­ported to be antiently made thither, which, if they sup­pose them true, deliver no lesse; so that his saying, That there is none that sayeth so, will not passe: and therefore we take Pennottus at his word, that he doth concurre with Bonaventure here, as before he did with Vincentius, that is, That if so it be, it is worthily to be rejected as a Fable. But how vaine all these Authors, and how fondly vaine the Relations of those Pilgrims were in faigning such strange sights and apparitions, hath beene before shewed as utterly false. There being no such thing obvi­ous to such as went in thither in the yeare One thousand three hundred ninety and five, but two ages after Henry of Saltry. As in like manner about the yeare One thou­sand foure hundred and ninety, we finde related by Pon­ticus Virunnius In Hibernia etiam est pute­us sancti Patri­cij, in lacu est enim insula ubi puteus per sex gradus in saxo descendit. Non ut Mythici ca­nunt in foro. Ego ingressus omnia vidi, in­quit Briagus Pōtifici virum­nij hist. Dritt. Epist. Dedica [...] ▪ pag. 23. of Blasius Biragus, who in the time of Lodowick Sforza came foure times into Ireland, and went also into this Purgatory: Of which, all that he could relate was, That in Ireland in a lake there is S. Patricks pit, for there is (saith he) [...] Island in which [Page 120] (there is a Cave, having a descent of six steps, but nothing agreeable to the Fables commonly related of it, for I saw all, saith Biragus, as the words are by Virunnius re­ported. And this suteth well with Joachimus Vadianus his Annotations on Pomponius Mela, speaking of the Irish, Clari Patriciō sauctissimo vi­ro à quo Chri­stiani facti du­rat sui nominis Antrum quod ingressos fabu­lantur ad ma­nes venire, nec ridere ultrâ, cū redierint ma­gnâ vanitate. Ioach. Vadianus in Annotat. in Pomp. Mela lib. 3. pag. 171. That famous they are in respect of Patrick an holy man, by whom they were made Christians; and yet there remain­eth a Cave of his Name, whereof they fable that they that goe thither, goe into the place of Soules: and that being re­turned they can no more laugh, which is extreamly vaine. No wonder therfore that Nicholas Har psfeldius, Sed de hâc re fidem meam non obstringo, (neque enim hanc meam li­tem facere vo­lo.) Sed ea Le­ctori nostro sub [...]ahere no­lo, quae author noster, qui tam s [...]a tamque sacra se conte­statione illiga­vit lectori suo subijcere ope­rae precium pu­ravit. Nicholis Harp [...]s [...]ld best. Angl. Ecclesia sex primis saeculis cap. 21. de sancto Patricio pag. 34. speak­ing of it out of Giraldus Cambrensis. Notwithstanding his great author, yet is so cautelous of pawning his cre­dit on the Truth of it, which is to be wished other Wri­ters had with the same Iudgement performed. But for this thing (saith Harpsfeldius) I will not ingage my credit on the Truth of it, (for I meane not to contend for it) yet will I not hinder the Reader of it, seeing our Author Cambren­sis is with so serious, and so sacred a contestation taken with it, that he thought it worthy to be recorded. But much better doth Abertus Krantzius (esteemed by Bel­larmine, Bellarm. descript. Eccles. ad A [...] 1500. a diligent Compiler of Histories, and living in the yeare of our Lord 1500.) He (I say) doth altogether rid his hands of it, ranking it with many other strange re­lations of Spirits and Phantasies, passing them all over as unworthy the relation. Hibernici purgatorium memoriant sancti aliquando Patricij, &c. Somnia & monstra volitantia quae anilibus inanijs propriora sunt rerum gestarum, ordini [...]on putavi inserenda. A [...] [...] histor. D [...] lib. 2. cap. 24. pag. 43. 44. The Irish remember a Purgato­ry of a sometime Saint, called Patricke, (saith he) from whence passing to other the like fancies he concludeth. These dreames and flitting Monsters, I thought not good to insert in a discourse of things done, being more like un­to old wives Tales. Thus he, and thus many others whom I spare here to repeat, having before touched them, thus I say did they in all ages esteeme of this Purgatory, and [Page 121] the Legends thereof, howsoever the multitude were then by a seduced and blind Devotion otherwise led.

And that in the last place I may come to that I princi­pally ayme at, least this might be thought to be but a cause­lesse suspition of Imposture in some few, or at the best but an incredulitie in these authors, see how their opini­ons, and causes them thereunto moving gayned with others, and did after worke with the multitude also, yea with all of all sorts. [...]or within seven yeares after Bi­ragus his visiting of it, if wee make it to bee Anno One thousand foure hundred and nintie, wee shall finde the whole world sencible of the fraud: crying it downe, yea with the same hands pulling it downe, that before were lift up in adoration of it. For in the yeare One thousand foure hundred nintie seven, you have it demolished by au­thoritie from Rome the Cleargie and people assisting there­in, and for the more solemnitie this done on S. Patrickes day. Which we finde in the Irish Annales of Ulster in these words. [...] Ex Annalibu [...] ultoniensibus MSS. ad [...] Dom. 1497. The Denne of S. Patrickes Purgatory in Logh-deerg was in that yeare (to wit one thousand foure hundred ninetie seven) broken by the Guardian of Don­negall, and by some sent by the Bishop in the Deanrie of Loghearne by authoritie from the Pope upon S. Patrickes day in the sayd yeare. The people understanding out of the History of the Knight, and other ancient Bookes, that this was not the Purgatory which Patricke had from God, al­though the people resorted from it.

Out of which may be more than probably conjectured, that before this Cave there hath beene One more, or ra­ther more than One of this kinde demolished, like Hy­dra's heads the cutting off of one being the reviving of another. Which may yet further discover the Imposture: For if this were not that Cave which Patricke had from God. We would know whether there were one before it that was the true? If so; how came that to vanish into nothing? If it were taken away as this is, the reason may be as probable that it was a counterfeite aswell as this: [Page 122] and all as truely of S. Patrickes erection, as any of them: And if all be such, or at the least if wee must with this uncertainetie receive them, what cause have wee with greater assurance to entertayne those vaine Legends and foolish dreames, going beyond all reason, or common sence?

Neyther was the indiscretion of the Framers of those Fables (I suppose) any small cause of this discoverie. For in the history of Owen the Knight, as that also of the Spanish Viscount, and of others sayd to be of the ancien­ter sort, they over confidently reporting a subterrane all passage to be out of the Cave into Purgatory; Hell, and Pa­radise, and that said to be so many hundreds of yeares be­fore: after-ages finding not the realitie hereof, had good cause to suspect out of those histories and ancient Bookes, as they are called: The present Cave not to be that which Saint Patricke had from God: Lombard called it, Horribilis vorago sine a­byllus. Petrus Lombard. Com. de regno Hiber. An horrible gulfe, and bottomlesse pit. Thyr [...] describeth it to be, Circulus in­tra cujus am­bitum hiatus ingens aspectu horribilis, per cujus occultos & sinuosos [...]tus, luctus & ejulatus & lamentabiles voces audiebā ­tur, sicut tradi­tio fidelis mul­ti (que) non igno­biles authores referunt. Thyr. disturs. Pane­ [...]; de miracul. S. Patricij. A round place, within whose secret and windings pussages were heard weeping, waylings, and lamenrable voy­ces: like as credible tradition, and many-not ignoble Au­thors doe report, (saith he) of which Simon Mayolus al­so a Neapolitan Bishop writing of Caves and great ga­pings in the earth, he ranketh this with the chiefest; Est, & alius hiatus profundissimus sic nuncupare velimus Antrum celebratissimum in Hiberni [...], de quo meminisse libet antequam hinc abeamus. Cum sanctus Patricius praedicaret Hibernis, nec eos per miracula, nec per comminationem futuratum pae­narum, nec per promiss [...] celestium gaudiorum possit convertere, Deus per ejus prece [...] ­locum [...] mirabili hiatu ac profunditare inscrutabili, per quem in purgatorium descenditur. Simon Mayolus diebus suis Canicularibus col. 15. de Anttis & [...], pag. [...]37. There is (saith he) another most deepe gaping, that famous Cave in Ireland, which before wee leave off, wee will remember, when S. Patricke did preach to the Irish, and could not convert them by miracles, neyther by threatnings of future paines: Or promises of future blisse, God by his prayers intreated, shewed him a place of a wonderfull and unsearch­able profunditie, through which a passage leadeth into Pur­gatory. [Page 123] This I say, and such like discourses with this great confidence delivered, howsoever they carry terrour to keepe backe (if possible it might bee) any from being too quicke-sighted, or desirous through curiositie to Try this vast profunditie, yet could it not but in time [...]ay [...] open; when none in that age could so speake of it, as for­merly, but that it might justly be suspected, not to be the place so much spoken off, and if it be not the same, justly deserving to be so (as it was) demolished.

And if thus it fared with that Purgatory, not to goe higher, what shall we thinke of this late upstart, the ru­ines whereof are yet fresh in our owne memory, which hath occasioned this our discourse? A place carrying the name of the same Founder, and by the cunning relators imposed on us, as if it had been the same, which was said to be of the first Election; neither is it lesse be­leeved by the ignorant: surely if we looke after the first rising of it, we shall finde it as obscure as was the origi­nall of that first Purgatory, were it not that we have this generall aime left us, that after the yeare One thou­sand foure hundred ninety seven it must have sprung up, that is about 142. yeares since, men sleeping as for­merly, and the place neglected, and as it is solitarily sea­ted, so fitter for any imposter in time convenient to ap­peare, when the memory of the former were some­what worne out, which how much it hath gained we have seene; the glory of this last being little inferiour, in their relations, to the first: we have seen the con­course of the people to this, nothing short, if not grea­ter, supposing that to be true which we have heard de­livered of it; and notwithstanding the last dissolution thereof, it therein laying it selfe open to all men most evidently, not to be that place which it is pretended to be; yet is the desire of the people (being not yet rightly informed of the reasons) bent unto it.

For all the Exceptions taken to the former, stand in their full strength against this latter. If it be questio­ned [Page 124] whether or no this be the same place, which was said to be shewed to S. Patricke by God? it will be found (howsoever others must not know so much) that it is a Qu [...]re so intricate, as that it standeth yet undetermined among the learnedest Writers of it, and some of them despaire ever of knowing of it. Let us here one of them, and that one of the most diligent searchers of it. His words are these, Tertio notan­dum nonnullos opinari ipsum antrum seu pu­teū sancto Pa­tricio à Christo Domino osten­sum vel inco­gnitum esse & in conspicabi­lem, vel saltem non eundem es­se quem pere­grini ineunt, cū in specu exclu­duntur ad ho­ras 24. sed vel subtus delites­cere, vel paucis deinde passitu distare. Ita ex veteri traditio­ne retuiitnobis R. D. Iohannes Gameus Abbas de Leathra, & Iohannes Fur­nus mac Kegā sacerdos septuagenarius. Alij opinati sunt ignorari paenitus locum, nec appariturum hominibus nisi in fine saeculi, ut desepulchro Moysis veteres Haebraei, & de Arca Te­stamenti ante regressum à Babylone. Sic de hoc puteo sentiendum esse. Atque hanc opinionem Patri Eugenio Duffio ex instituto sancti Francisci vulgate pietatis viro, me audiente tribuebat Toninus Mulchonrius rei antiquariae ex officio deditus, & ipse dierum perantiquus. Roth. apud Thom. Mess. de Purgatorio sancti Patricij cap. 1. num. 15. pag. 93. It is thirdly to be noted, that some are of opinion that the Cave or Pit snewed by Christ our Lord to S. Patrick, is either un­known, or not to be seen: or at the least that it is not the same into which Pilgrims goe, and wherein they are shut up foure and twenty houres, but that either it lyeth hid underneath, or is distant some few paces from it. So out of antient Tradition hath it been told me by the R. Iohn Gamnhey (or Gaffne) Abbat of Leathra, and Iohn mac Kegan a Priest of seventy yeares of age, others thinke that the place is altogether unknowne. And that it shall not appeare to men but in the end of the world: That as the ancient Hebrewes report of Sepulchre of Moses, and of the Arke of the testament before the returne from Ba­bylon, so we should thinke of this Pit. And this is by Tornius Mulchonry, one addicted to the study of Anti­quity, and one well stricken in yeares, said to be the opi­nion of F. Eugenius Dusse of the Order of S. Francis. How great uncertainties? where the place is, is not knowne, saith one: or if it be knowne, yet it is not now visible, neither shall be, to the end of the world, saith another: howsoever that now frequented is not it, saith a third. How then doth our Author satisfie himselfe [Page 125] in this diversitie of opinions? Heare him, Si vera sit Duffij, Gam [...] ­ney, Contij, Kegani, & ali­orum de hoc relatio, quo­rum tamen mi­nus recepta sententi [...] est, de re ipsâ in al­terutram par­tem nihil nunc statuo, nec te­mere putant re­cedendum iri graves à com­muniori opini­one & persua­sione. Whether that relation of Duffe, Gamnhey, Conry, Kegan, and others be true, (which yet is not that which is most received) for my part I will not now conclude on either side. But grave men say, that we ought not rashly to leave the com­mon opinion and perswasion which all assent unto. That this Cave which in the Island of Loghderrg is seen, and shut up in a low vault is the true place, where the Pit is which we seeke. You see how he will not say any thing against the Vulgar opinion, that this is that place; so will he not conclude against them that hold the con­trarie, how blindely therefore are the Ignorant sort of people led with a certaine perswasion that this, and no other, is the very place. And for all triall by the History of the Knight, and other Ancient Relations in that kinde, it is now out of use, for (as it is confessed) there is no­thing in this Purgatory certaine: and as for those sub­terraneall passages, we are as farre to seek for them here, as in the former demolished Purgatory: the matter is to our hands confessed, Nostris die­bus & ab om­nium longissi­mâ memoriâ fundus spelun­cae complana­tus est & reli­quae terrae ae­quatus. Sed in prima ejus in­stitutione pro­fundior erat, ut traditio est, quorundam se­niorum Paula­tim enim est e­levatus sanci­entibus Epis­copis, & annuē ­te sedeapostoli­câ. Et in Mar­gine: Pavimen­tum Purgatorij elevatum authoriate Papae. Roth. apud Messing. de Purgatorio sancti Patricij cap. 2. num. 28. & pag. 96. That in our dayes, and in the farthest of mans memory, the bottom of the Cave was le­velled, and made even with the other part of the earth. Yet (saith Roth) when the place was first, made it was deeper. But how doth that appeare? It is the Tradition of some of the Elders. and how commeth it to be alter­ed? It was raised by directions of the Bishops, it may be, of the Diocese; And with the consent of the Apostolicall Sea. To which adde out of the Margent. The pave­ment or floore of the Purgatory was made up by autho­ritie from the Pope. Where the cunning of these men is to be observed, who to conceale the former destru­ction of the former Cave done by authority from the Pope, and by the Bishop of the Diocese doe make the Popes act to be a Command onely for the levelling of the ground, and taking away the passage into the lower [Page 126] Purgatory, which why he should doe, I cannot easily imagine, if the matter were of that consequence as we have been borne in hand it was: unlesse he feared that the great merit of that Pilgrimage might hinder the Mart of his Indulgences. But how miserable these shifts be; who seeth not? there is nothing here to give any certainty of the place, or the pretenteded merits of it: and yet must this be still a secret to the people; they must be told that this is the very place appointed by S. Patricke, from whose time even untill now it had con­tinued: That the frequenting of it is beyond all degrees meritorious, for which no labour, watching, fasting or paine is to bee refused, as wee have shewed to bee used in the latter Pilgrimages. Pitty it is so great zeale should be so misguided for the gaining a few, nay not a few pence into private purses.

Considering therefore the grossenes of this Supersti­tion, and the blindnesse by which so many poore soules were seduced, it suited well with the wisedome of our state to looke more narrowly into the matter, and to take away the occasion of so great an errour. I speake nothing, how dangerous in point of state it might be to permit such frequent meetings in such a place. But in the former respects, to take away the ground of so many errours at once, as it argued the care of the Government, both of the estates and soules of the people; so in the pulling downe of all there was no new thing done, no­thing but what was before by themselves in the same case practised, as was before shewed.

I will therefore here insert an Historicall Relation of the manner and proceedings therein, by an Abstract thereof taken out of the Councell booke of this King­dome, that after-Ages may not be surprized with ano­ther Purgatory, starting up they know not how, as for­merly, and thereby men be deluded with reports, of I know not what Antiquity. The words out of the Re­cords are these.

[Page 127] The State observing the popish Superstitions used at S. Patricks Purgatory to grow an insufferable height did by their Letters of the 21. of May 1632. directed to the Lo. Balfoure, St. William Stuart, and others, require them to seize it, and to make fast the doores and entrance into it, ho­ping that that might take away the continuance of the abuse there.

To these Letters Sir William Stuart returneth (Lucij 8. 1632. Answere to this effect.

[Page 132]Of the execution whereof the Lord Bishop of Clogher, chiefe of the Commissioners gave this follow­ing account by his Letters dated Octob. 31. 1632. directed To the most Reverend Father in God IAMES Lord Archbishop of Ardmagh, Primate and Metropolitane of all Ireland, his Grace.

[Page 135] Here then we see the truth of those relations of men passing through this Cave into Purgatory, Hell, and Para­dise: See how much the report of the Viscount (of which before) deserveth credit, That in the Cave the ground was so unsound and shaking, that it seemed unable to beare a man; and that therefore he stept backe, fearing to fall into some unexpected depth and abysse. Whereas the place is Rockie not Boggie. If this be not the same place, why are men borne in hand that it is? And if it be, what is become of this deepe Cave? to speake nothing of the other fancies and imaginations. But blessed be God, who hath thus brought to light these works of darknesse: So that all the world may now see in what blindnesse men were led all this while. And what cause there is of that great boast of Lumbard, Et haecquid [...] ratio agendae poenitentiae in hoc loco, uti olim frequen­tata, ita & in­terca semper continuata, eti­am hodie mul­tis est in usu. Adeo ut praefe­cti Angli, nec possint cos im­pedire, nec lo­cum illum vio­lare ausint. Pe­trus Lomb. hib. Com. de reg. hib. (edit. Lovan. 1632.) cap. 20. pag. 277. describing the manner of that pilgrimage, be­ing from former times unto these dayes continued, and now of many used; so as the English Governours neyther could hinder it, neyther durst they violate the place, saith he, which was written the same yeare that this purgatory was demo­lished by the State: But wee see, they both durst doe it, and did doe it: And what did they doe in so doing then, what was before done by themselves and the Papall Au­thority?

So that if we would now send O Sullevan thither, he would bee I suppose better informed, who before would have us goe thither for satisfying of our selves of the Truth of the thing, Satis liquet eos ridiculos esse, qui malunt D. Patricij pur­gatorium ride­re quam causa cognoscendi veri adire. Phil. O Sull. Patr. de­cad. lib. 9. cap. 9. pag. 277. It is apparant how ridiculous they are who doe rather deride S. Patrickes Purgatory, than seeke to reforme their judgements by going thither to see it. Who al­so may here receive an answer for his question before pro­pounded to us, Ibid. pag. 110. cited before in the Epist. Dedi­cat. ad lit. c. What the reason should bee why of late dayes the State of this Kingdome placed a guard for hin­dring a passage into this purgatorie? It was not to suppresse the truth, as he vainely dreameth; but as the proceeding of the State therein expresseth it selfe to take away the insufferable height unto which the superstitious thereof did rise: a superstition drawne on by so grosse an Imposture, [Page 136] that the like hath not been seene. The justnesse therefore of the action is most apparant unto all.

Thus have we enquired after the Beginning, Progresse, and End of this Purgatory, wherein it will not be alto­gether unworthy our observation to consider that as Hen­ry of Saltry, the first writer of this so strange a Fable was therein deluded by Florenti [...] his Tutor, then Bishop of Clogher, in whose Diocesse the place stood: So by meanes of another Bishop of the same See, was it demolished by directions from Rome Anno 1497. as before. And now againe this last time by a third, and the now present Bishop of Clogher quite defaced Anno 1632. by Command from the State. So that at the last, we have found the End, although we could not the beginning of this Saint Patrickes Purgatory.