increase my profit and advantage, rear up stately palaces, make myself an everlasting name in the world, and other the like carnal designs. But the obscure words concerning the Three Temples did particularly afflict me, which I was not able to make out by any after speculation, and perhaps should not yet, had they not been wonderfully revealed to me. Thus sticking betwixt hope and fear, examining myself again and again, and finding my own frailty and impotency, not being in any wise able to succour myself, and exceedingly amazed at the fore-mentioned threatening; at length I betook myself to my usual and most secure course; after I had finished my earnest and most fervent prayer, I laid me down in my bed, that so perchance my good angel by the Divine permission might appear, and (as it had formerly happened) instruct me in this doubtful affair, which to the praise of God, my own good, and my neighbour's hearty and faithful warning and amendment did now likewise fall out. For I was scarce fallen asleep, when me-thought, I, together with a numberless multitude of men lay fettered with great chains in a dark dungeon, wherein, without the least glimpse of light, we swarmed like bees over one another, and thus rendered each other's affliction more grievous. But although neither I, nor any of the rest could see one jot; yet I continually heard one heaving himself above the other, when his chains or fetters were become ever so little lighter, though none of us had much reason to shove up the other, since we were all captive wretches. Now as I with the rest had continued a good while in this affliction, and each was still reproaching the other with his blindness and captivity, at length we heard many trumpets sounding together, and kettle-drums beating so artificially thereto, that it even revived and rejoiced us in our calamity. During this noise, the cover of the dungeon was from above lifted up, and a little light let down unto us. Then first might truly have been discerned the bustle we kept, for all went pesle-mesle, and he who perchance had too much heaved up himself, was forced down again under the others feet. In brief, each one strove to be uppermost, neither did I myself linger, but with my weighty fetters slipped up from under the rest, and then heaved myself upon a stone, which I laid hold of; howbeit, I was several times caught at by others, from whom yet as well as I might, with hands and feet, I still guarded myself. For we imagined no other but that we should all be set at liberty, which yet fell out quite otherwise. For after the nobles, who looked upon us from above through the hole, had a while recreated themselves with this our struggling and lamenting, a certain hoary headed Ancient Man, called to us to be quiet, and having scarce obtained it, began (as I still remember) thus to say:--