aint Patrick, the preacher of truth, while yet living in the flesh,
recalled and incited by his example and conversation many living men,
who yet were dead, unto the true life, so did he by his prayers bring
many who were buried unto the land of the living. For divers which
were deceased, he by his powerful prayers snatched from the depths of
eternal punishment, and from the roaring lions which were prepared for
their food, and bringing them to the expiatory place, restored them
unto salvation. And he, being often made the contemplator of the
divine mysteries, beheld the heavens opened, and the Lord Jesus
standing in the middle of the multitude of angels; and this, while he
offered the holy immolation of the Son of God, and devoutly sang the
Apocalypse of John, did Patrick merit to behold. For while in his
meditations he admired these admirable visions, unto the sight of their
similitude was he lifted up in the Lord. And the angel Victor, so
often before named, thrice in each week appeared unto him, and
comforted and consoled him with mutual colloquy.

CHAPTER CLXXXI.

_Saint Patrick beholdeth the Souls of the Rich and of the poor Man sent
unto different Places._

Oftentimes did the saint behold the souls of men going forth of their
bodies, some unto places of punishment, others unto places of reward;
one instance whereof we think worthy to record, inasmuch as the saint
was wont to relate it for the purpose of edification. There was a man
who had a great name, according as names are in this world accounted
great; and he had flocks of sheep, and herds of oxen, and his
possessions increased on the earth. And this man died; and a long
assembly of his children and his kindred celebrated his obsequies with
much pomp and honor according to the estimation of men, and so
committed him unto the common mother. And they who account blessed the
man unto whom these things are given, declared him happy, whose life
was so fortunate, and whose death so honorable; and they thought that
he very much had pleased the Lord. But the other man was a beggar, who
having lived all his life in wretchedness and in poverty, went the way
of all flesh. And his body long time lay without the ministry of the
funeral rites, unburied, and mangled by the birds of prey; and at
length was it dragged by the feet into a pit-hole, and covered with
turf; and they who judge according to outward show esteemed this man
most miserable and unfortun