Then the seraphim and angels,
In a thousand choirs advancing,
To their golden instruments
Sang the symphonies of heaven;
After them at last approached
The most glorious and resplendent
Patrick, the great patriarch,
Who his gratulations telling
That I had fulfilled my word
Ere I died, as he expected,
He embraced me; all displaying
Joy and gladness in my welfare.
Thus encouraged he dismissed me,
Telling me no mortal ever,
While in life, that glorious city
Of the saints could hope to enter;
That once more unto the world
I should go my days to end there.
Finally my way retracing,
I came back, quite unmolested
By the dark infernal spirits,
And at last the gate of entrance
Having reached, you all came forward
To receive me and attend me.
And since I from so much danger
Have escaped, oh! deign to let me,
Pious fathers, here remain
Till my life is happily ended.**
[footnote] *Asonante in e--e, which is kept up to the end.
[footnote] **For the account of St. Patrick's Purgatory, as given by
Messingham, see Notes.
* * * * *
For with this the history closes,
As it is to us presented
By Dionysius the Carthusian,
With Henricus Salteriensis,
Matthew Paris, Ranulph Higden,
And Caesarius Heisterbacensis,
Marcus Marulus, Mombritius,
David Rothe, the prudent prelate,
And Vice-Primate of all Ireland,
Belarminus, Dimas Serpi,
Bede, Jacobus, and Solinus,
Messingham, and to express it
In a word, the Christian faith
And true piety that defend it.
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