Page:Primitive Culture Vol 2.djvu/71

Rh When Owain had seen the other fields of punishment, with their fiery serpents and toads, and the fires where sinners were hung up by their offending members, and roasted on spits, and basted with molten metal, and turned about on a great wheel of fire, and when he had passed the Devil's Mouth over the awful bridge, he reached the fair white glassy wall of the Earthly Paradise, reaching upward and upward, and saw before him the beautiful gate, whence issued a ravishing perfume. Then he soon forgot his pains and sorrows.

'As he stode, and was so fayne, Hym thowgth ther come hym agayne A swyde fayr processyoun Of alle manere menne of relygyoun, Fayre vestementes they hadde on, So ryche syg he never none. Myche joye hym thowgte to se Bysshopes yn here dygnité; Ilkone wente other be and be, Every man yn his degré. He syg ther monkes and chanones, And freres with newe shavene crownes; Ermytes he saw there amonge, And nonnes with fulle mery songe; Persones, prestes, and vycaryes; They made fulle mery melodyes. He syg ther kynges and emperoures, And dukes that had casteles and toures, Erles and barones fele, That some tyme hadde the worldes wele. Other folke he syg also, Never so mony as he dede thoo. Wymmen he syg ther that tyde: Myche was the joye ther on every syde: For alle was joye that with hem ferde, And myche solempnyté he herde.'

The procession welcomed Owain, and led him about, showing him the beauties of that country: —

'Hyt was grene, and fulle of flowres Of mony dy vers colowres;