THE

HE original of the following piece is found in pp. 27a-31b of the Lebor na huidre (Book of the Dun Cow '), a manuscript in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, the scribe of which was murdered at Clonmacnois in the year 1106.

There are two other copies of Adamnán's Vision-one in the Leabhar Breacc, a manuscript of the fifteenth century, also in the Academy's library; another in the Bibliothèque Impériale, Ancien Fond, No. 8175. Extracts from the Leabhar Breacc copy are printed in O'Donovan's Grammar, pp. 119, 341, 349, 350, 370, 381, 382, 440442, and in Petrie's Round Towers, P. 439. The first two sentences of the copy now translated are a paraphrase of Psal. cxlvi. 5, 6, and the piece may be regarded as a sermon on that text. It has, however, some literary merit, and is, besides, one of the strangest of those mediæval visions which begin with that of the Irish saint Fursae and culminate in the Divina Commedia.

Though the Old-Irish tenues are, as a rule, still untouched, the language of our Vision is marked by many of the characteristics of Middle-Irish-confusion of e and in desinence: putting ae for oe, nd for nn, ur for air, er, and ll for ld, In prosthesis of f: metathesis of cs and ts and other such corruptions which need not now be specified. The piece cannot therefore be older than the eleventh century. Its composition has been ascribed to Adamnán, ninth abbot of Iona, who died in the year 703. But that such ascription is erroneous appears first, from the philological evidence above adduced; next, from the author's mention of tithes, which (according to Dr. Reeves) were un

ADAMNÁN'S VISION THIS BELOW. HIGH and admirable is the Lord of Elements, and great and marvellous are His power and His might. He is gentle and He is kindly, He is merciful and Heis loving; for He calls up to Him unto Heaven the folk of charity and of mercy, of gentleness and of forgivingness. But He bows down and prostrates to Hell the impious, unprofitable flock of the sons of cursing. Hidden things and divers rewards of Heaven He gives to the Blessed, and He bestows a many divers torments on the sons of Death.

Now (there were) multitudes of Saints and of just ones of the Lord of the Elements and of Apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ unto whom were shown mysteries and hidden things of the kingdom of Heaven in that wise, and the all-golden rewards of the Just, and unto whom besides were shown Hell's divers torments with those that are therein. To Apostle Peter sooth was shown the four-cornered vessel that was let down from Heaven and four ropes thereout.1 Sweeter than any music the hearing of it. Apostle Paul, again, was caught up to the third heaven, and heard the unspeakable words of the Angels and admirable converse of Heaven's

family. Moreover then all the Apostles were brought on the day of Mary's death, and saw the tortures and piteous punishments of unhappy men, when the Lord commanded the Angels of the Sunset to open the earth before the Apostles that they might see and contemplate Hell with its many torments as He Himself foretold to them a long while before His Passion. Now, what is said here was shown at last to Adamnán grandson of Tinne, to a high sage of the West of the World, when his soul went forth from his body on the feast of John Baptist, and when she was taken to Paradise with angels of Heaven, and to Hell with its rabblehost.

Then, when the soul parted from the body, to her forthwith appeared an angel that had borne her fellowship while she was in flesh, and he took her with him first to behold the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now this is the first land whereto they came, the Land of the Saints. A land fruitful, shining is that land. Assemblies divers, wonderful, there, with cloaks of white linen about them, with hoods pure-white over their heads. The Saints of the East of the world in their assembly apart in the East of the Land of the Saints. The Saints of the West of the World likewise in the West of the same Land. Furthermore, the Saints of the North of the World, and of the South of it, in their two vast assemblies South and North. Everyone then, who is in the Land of the Saints, is nigh unto the hearing of the melodies and to the contemplation of the Vessel wherein are nine grades of Heaven, according to their steps and according to their order.

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2 Corinthians xii. 2, 4.

:

As to the Saints, again, at one time they sing marvellous music, praising God. At another time they are silent at the music of Heaven's family for the Saints need not aught else but to hear the music whereto they listen, and to contemplate the light which they see, and to sate themselves with the odour which is in the Land.

A wonderful Prince there is too, South-East of them, face to face with them, and a glassen veil between them (and him), and a golden portico to the South of him. Through this they perceive the form and separation of Heaven's family. Howbeit, there is neither veil nor darkness between Heaven's family and the Saints, but they are in clearness and in the Saints' presence on the side over against them continually.

A fiery circle furthermore (is) round about that land, and thereinto and thereout (fareth) every one, and it hurteth not.

The twelve Apostles, however, and Mary the pure Virgin in her assembly apart around the mighty Lord. Patriarchs and Prophets and disciples of Jesus anear to the Apostles. But there are other holy Virgins to Mary's right, and a space not long between them (and her). Infants and children around them on every point, and music of birds of Heaven's family enrapturing them. Bright troops of the souls' comrade-angels at lowliness and in attendance between those assemblies in the King's presence always. Yea, no one in this present world could set-forth or tell of those assemblies as of a truth they are.

The troops and the assemblies, then, that are in the Land of Saints as we have said, ever are they living

in that great glory until the Great Meeting of Doom, so that on the Day of the Judgment the Righteous Brehon may range them in the stations and in the places wherein they shall abide beholding God's countenance without veil, without shadow between them (and him) through the ages of ages.

But though great and though vast are the sheen and the radiance that are in the Land of Saints as we have said, vaster a thousand times the splendour that is in a plain of Heaven's family around the Throne of the Lord Himself. Thus, then, is that throne, as a canopied chair with four columns of precious stone beneath it. Yea though there should not be rapture to anyone save the harmonious singing together of those four columns, enough to Him there were of glory and of delightfulness. Three noble Birds in the chair before the King, and their mind on their Creator for ever: that is their office. They likewise celebrate the eight hours of prayer, praising and magnifying the Lord, with chanting of Archangels coming thereon.

From the birds, then, and from the Archangels (is) the beginning of the music, and thereafter answer them all Heaven's family, both Saints and holy Virgins.

A vast Arch, furthermore, above the head of the Dignified One in His royal chair, like an adorned helmet or a king's diadem. If human eyes saw it they would melt away forthwith.

Three Zones all around Him between them and the host, and what it is they are is unknown by setting-forth.

Six thousand of thousands with shapes of horses and of birds around

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the fiery chair flaming without limit without end.

Then, to tell of the mighty Lord who is in that throne cometh not unto anyone unless He Himself should do it, or unless He should speak unto the ranks of Heaven. For none will relate His ardour and His strength, His redness2 and His exceeding clearness, His splendour and His delightfulness, His munificence and His firmness, the multitude of His Angels and Archangels chanting music to Him. His multitudinous messengers to Him and from Him with exceeding brief answers to every troop in turn, His smoothness and His great gentleness towards some, His roughness and His great harshness towards other folk of them.

If anyone were always beholding Him, around Him, from East and from West, from South and from North, he will find on every side with Him a face illustrious, more brilliant seven times than is the sun. Yea, he will not see a man's form on Him of head or of foot, but as a fiery cloud flaming throughout the universe, and everyone in trembling and in terror before Him. All-full of His light are Heaven and Earth, and radiance like a king's star all around Him. Three thousand divers melodies (there are) of every choir that is at choirsinging about Him. Sweeter than the many melodies of the world is every single melody of themselves apart.

The City, then, wherein is that throne, thus it is, and seven glassen walls with divers colours around it. Loftier is each wall than the other. The platform and lowest base of the City are of white glass with the sun's countenance upon it, made

changeful with blue and purple and green and every hue besides.

A family beautiful, very meek, very gentle, again, without want of any good thing on them, are they who dwell in that City. For none reach it and none dwell in it continually save only pure saints or pilgrims devoted to God. Their array, however, and their ranging, it is hard to know how it happened, for there is not a back of any of them, or his side, towards another. But it is thus the unspeakable might of the Lord hath arranged them and kept them, face to face in their ranks and in their circles equally high all round about the throne, with splendour and with delightfulness, and their faces all towards God.

A chancel-rail of glass (there is) between every two choirs, with excellent adornment of red gold and of silver thereon, with beautiful ranks of precious stone and with changefulness of divers gems, and with stalls and crowns of carbuncle on the rails of that chancel. Three precious stones, then, with a melodious voice and with the sweetness of music between every two chief. assemblies, and their upper halves as flambeaux aflame. Seven thousand angels in the forms of chief lights irradiating and undarkening the City round about. Seven thousand others in its very midst flaming for ever round the royal City. The men of the world in one place, though they be very numerous, the odour of the top of one light of those lights would suffice them with food.

Whosoever, then, of the men of the world do not reach that City (at once) from their life, and for whom the possession of it is destined after the Judgment of Doom, it is in these they haunt, changefully and restlessly, in heights and in hills, in moors and in uninhabitable morasses (?), until Doom shall come to them.

Even thus are those hosts and the assemblies, and a comrade-angel of every single soul that is therein at lowliness and attendance upon her. A veil of fire and a veil of ice in the chief gateway of the City before them, and they a-clashing top against top for ever. The sound and noises, then, of those veils coming together are heard throughout the universe. Adam's seed, if they should hear that sound, trembling and terror intolerable would seize them all before it. Sad, now, and troubled are the sinners at that sound, but if it be on the side towards Heaven's family nought is heard of that rough thunder save full little only, and sweeter than every melody that is.

Great, then, and it is a marvel to tell it, the position of that City, for it is little of much that which we have told of its divers orders and of its marvels.

Rare, therefore, is it for the soul, after commune and dwelling with the flesh with its sleep, and with its ease, and with its freedom, and with its happiness, to advance and go to the Creator's throne unless she fare with guidance of angels. For hard it is to climb the seven heavens, for not easier is one of them than another. For there are six gates of protection before the human race up to the Kingdom. A gatewarden furthermore, and a guardian from Heaven's family, have been set to guard each gate of them.

The gate, then, of the heaven that is nearest hither, thereon hath been set Archangel Michael, and two virgins by him with iron rods in their laps to scourge and to beat the sinners, so that there the sinners meet with the fierce outcry and with the first suffering of the path they go.

The gate in sooth, of the second heaven, Archangel Uriel is guardian thereto, and two virgins before him with fiery scourges in their hands. It is with these they scourge the

sinners across their faces and across their eyes. A fiery river, moreover, hath been set, with great flame thereon, before that door. Abersetus, sooth, the name of the angel tending that river, which tries and washes the souls of the saints from the measure of guilt that cleaves to them, so that they become as pure and as bright as the splendour of a star. There, likewise, hath been set a shining well with bloom and odour to cleanse and purify the souls of the just. It raveneth, however, and burneth the sinners' souls and taketh nought from them, but it is an increase of pain and penance that cometh to them there. And then thereout arise the sinners with sorrow and full great gloom, the just, however, with delight and joyousness, to the gate of the third heaven.

A fiery furnace likewise, flaming continually, is there. Twelve thousand cubits it is that its flame reaches aloft. Then the souls of the righteous fare through that furnace in the twinkling of an eye. It bakes, however, and burns there the sinners' souls to the end of twelve years. Thereafter the angel of fellowship takes them to the fourth gate.

Thus, then, is the gate of entrance of the fourth heaven, and a fiery river around it like the river aforesaid. A wall flaming likewise surrounds it, the breadth of its fire is measured at twelve thousand cubits. Howbeit, the souls of the righteous pass over it as if it were not at all, and it detains the souls of the sinners for a time of twelve years, in wretchedness and in punishment, until the angel of fellowship takes them to the gate of the fifth heaven. A fiery river moreover is there

also, but different is it from the other rivers, for there is an especial whirlpool in the midst of that river, and it whirls the souls of the sinners round and round,' and holds them to the end of sixteen years. Howbeit, the righteous fare over it forthwith without any delay. When afterwards it is time to release the sinners thereout, the angel smites the river with a hard rod with a stony nature, and lifts the souls up at the end of the rod. Thereafter, too, Michael bears the souls to the gate of the sixth heaven.

However, it is not told (that there) is pain or punishment for the souls in that gate, but they are illumined there by a light and radiance of precious stones. Then Michael passeth thereafter to the angel of the Trinity, and they both show forth the soul in the presence of God.

Huge, then, and innumerable the welcome of Heaven's family and of the Lord Himself to the soul at that time if she be innocent, righteous. If, however, the soul be unrighteous, and if she be imperfect, she getteth roughness and bitterness from the mighty Lord, and He saith to Heaven's angels, 'Seize with you, oh Heaven's angels, this impious soul, and bestow her into Lucifer's hand to drown her and to hide her away in Hell's deep for ever and ever.'"

There then is severed that wretched soul, fearfully and bitterly and horribly, from the presence of Hea ven's kingdom and of God's countenance. It is there, too, she casts forth the sigh that is heavier than every sigh at coming into the Devil's presence after beholding the delight of Heaven's kingdom. It is there she is severed from the safe-keeping of the Archangels with whom she

1 Cf. Inferno, vii. 22: