Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/357

not vvhen. At their importunacie hee besought God, were it his good pleasure to give out some evident token of the maters they required: finally by the special direction of God he found in the north edge of Vlster a desolate angle hemmed in round, & in the mids thereof a pit, where he reared a Church, closed the same with a wall, bestowed therein Canons regular, at the East end of this Church yarde, a doore leadeth into a closet of stone, which they call the Purgatory, because devout people have resorted thither for pennance, and reported at their returne, strange visions of paine and blisse appearing to them. They used to continue therein foure & twenty houres, which doing one while with ghostly meditations, and another while a dreadfuli conscience of their deserts, they saw as they say, a plaine resembling of their owne faults and vertues, with the horror and comfort thereto belonging, that one so terrible, the other so joyous, that they verily deeme themselves for the time to have sight of heaven and hell. The revelations of men that went in (Saint Patricke yet living) are kept vvritten vvithin the saide Abbey. When any person is disposed to enter (for the doore is ever sparred) he repaireth first for advice to the Archbishop, who casteth all perils, and disswadeth him, because they say diverse never came backe againe, but if the party be resolute, he recommendeth him to the Pryor, vvho in like manner favourably exhorteth him not to hazard such a danger, if notwithstanding he finde the party fully bent, he conducteth him to this Church, enjoyned him to begin