with their hooks, and to precipitate me into the wells of brimstone. But my amide, who was carrying the ball of thread, threw it over my shoulders, and doubled it up, and dragged it furiously after him. And, in that way, we climbed very high mountains of fire, out of which there arose glowing streams, and marshes, and all kinds of metals, all boiling. And there I found a countless number of souls of men, and of the nobles of my father, and of my brothers, all cast headlong down, some up to their hair, some up to.their chin, others up to ι their navel ; and they were howling, and cried out to me, j saying : * We, while we lived, did delight in company with you, and with your father, and with your brethren, and with your uncles, to make wars, and to commit murders and acts of rapine, for the gratification of your earthly lusts, and therefore, now we are enduring torments in these boiling rivers and all these different kinds of boiling metals.' And when I was gazing on these things, being greatly alarmed, I heard the souls behind me cry out, ' The mighty shall suffer mighty torments.' And I looked behind me, and I saw on the banks of the boiling river, furnaces of pitch and brimstone, full of huge dragons, and scorpions, and serpents of every kind ; and there I saw some of the princes of my father's court, and of my own, and of the courts of my brothers, and of my uncles, saying to me : ' Woe to us, Ο Charles, woe to us ! you see what terrible torments we are suffering on account of our wickedness and pride, and because of the evil counsels which we gave to our kings and to you, and because of our covetousness.' And while I was grieving and groaning at these things, some demons ran up to me, with open mouths full of fire, and brimstone, and pitch, desirous to swallow me up. But my guide threw a triple fold of the thread around me, by the brightness of the rays of which, their fiery mouths were overcome. And he protected me more powerfully, and we descended into a valley which'was on one side dark, but burning like a fiery oven ; and on the other side was so delicious and beautiful, that I can by no means express it. And I turned myself round towards the dark side, which was vomiting forth flames, and there I saw some kings of my race suffering great punishments. And then, being disturbed by great anguish, I thought that I myself was at once cast down among these same torments, by giants of exceeding blackness, who ht up the whole valley with every description of fire* And trembling