The Purgatory of St. PatrickCalderón de la Barca, Pedro
Religion
The Purgatory of St. Patrick
Calderón de la Barca, Pedro
Patrick, Saint, 373?-463? -- Drama
stay here no longer, but recommend thee to Almighty God.'
"So having given the Soldier their Blessing, they departed."
"CHAPTER V.
"Of the Coming of the Devils, and of the first Torment which the
Soldier endured.
"The Soldier being thus left alone by the Holy Men, began to exercise
himself for a new kind of Warfare, and having put on the Armour of
Christ, stoutly waited for him, among the Devils, who shou'd first
provoke him to Battle. He put on the Coat of Mail of Justice, girt
his Mind, as he wou'd his Head, with the Helmet of the Hope of
Victory and of eternal Salvation, cover'd his Breast with the Shield
of Faith, and armed his Hand with the Sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God, devoutly calling upon Jesus Christ, that being
defended by this Royal Fortress, his insulting Enemies might not
conquer him. Nor did Divine Providence, which always protects those
who trust in it, fail him. Being then, as aforesaid, sitting alone
in the Inclosure, and with an undaunted Courage waiting for a Battle
with the Devils, he heard all of a sudden so great a Noise as if all
the Earth had been turn'd upside down: And indeed, if all the Men,
and all the living creatures on Earth, in the Sea, and Air, had
bellowed out together, it seemed to him, they cou'd not make a
greater Noise: so that, had he not been protected by Divine Virtue,
and happily instructed by the aforesaid Holy man, he wou'd infallibly
have lost his Senses. But Lo, after this horrid Sound, there
followed a sight of Devils more horrid; for there appear'd an
innumerable multitude of Devils, in ugly frightful shapes; who
saluted him in a fleering manner and said: 'Other Men who serve us,
do not come to our Habitation till after Death; but thou art pleased
to Honour our Company so much, as that thou wouldst not, like others
wait for Death; but hast alive delivered both Body and Soul unto us:
Thou has done this, that thou mayst receive the greater Reward from
us: Thou shalt then be abundantly rewarded as thou hast deserv'd.
Thou art come hither to be tortur'd for thy Sins; thou shalt then
have what thou seekest, that is, Pressures and Grief. Yet for as
much as thou hast hitherto served us, if thou wilt follow our
Counsel, and return from whence thou camest, we will for thy reward
lead thee safe to the Door by which thou hast enter'd in here; that
thou mayest live joyfully in the World, and not lose the sweet things
which thy Body is capable to enjoy.'
"All these things they said with an intent to deceive him, either
with Terror or Flattery. But the stout Soldier of Jesus Christ was
not shaken by Terror, nor seduced by Flattery; and therefore
contemned with an equal Mind, as well those that wou'd terrifie, as
those that wou'd flatter him, in making them no Answer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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