A.D. 1176. LETTER OF ΠΕΧΕΤ, ABJSAT OF CLAIRVAL. to be the mother of heresy and the fountain-head of error. Accordingly, we went to her, that we might learn if her pangs justified the wailings that were' raised. And, behold ! her wound was found to be exceeding great, so much so, that from the sole of her foot to the crown of her head, there was hardly any soundness in her. For, in truth, not a third part had been told us of all her wicked abominations, which that noble city was cherishing in the bosom of her unbelief. The abomination of desolation had found a place in her, and the likeness of the reptiles described by the prophets found a refuge in her lurking-places. Heretics were there acting the governor over the people, ruling over the clergy, to such a degree that it made true the saying, ' Like people like priest 5 2 and the very life of the pastor was formed for the destruction of the flock. The heretics spoke, and all were in admiration ; a Catholic spoke, and they would say, ' "Who is tins ?' making it a miracle and a matter for amazement if there was any one among them who should dare even to whisper anything about the Word of truth. So greatly did this pestilence prevail upon the earth, that they had made for themselves not only priests and bishops, but they had even evangelists, who, corrupting and cancelling evangelical truth, forged new gospels for them, and, seducing the people, preached unto them new dogmas from the wickedness of their hearts. I am guilty of falsehood if there was not among them a certain aged man, of considerable affluence, blessed with brethren and friends, and withal among the greatest of the city a great man, whom the devil had so blinded with sin, urging him on, that he declared himself to be Saint John the Evangelist, and would separate Ê e Word that in the beginning was with God, from the other st principle of created things, as though from another God. He was the head of the doomed ones in this city, and the chief of the heretics ; and though, a layman and illiterate, he knew nothing at all, still, like a very fountain of diabolical wisdom, he showered forth among them the streams, bitter as gall, of perdition and of death. Of a night there resorted to him the owls that love darkness, on which, he, clothed in a kind of garment made like a dalmatic, would take his seat among them, liko a king with his army standing around him, and become a preacher to the senseless creatures. The whole city he had quite filled 5 1 Alluding to Isaiah xxiv. 2.