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 unfortunate. But the saint pronounced the opinion of men to differ from the righteousness of Him who searcheth the reins and the heart, whose judgments are a deep abyss; and he declared that he saw the soul of that rich man plunged by the demons into hell; but the spirit of the poor man, whose life was accounted as foolishness, and his end without honor, was reckoned among the children of God, and his lot of blessedness was among the saints. "Truly," said he, "the sons of men are vain, and their judgments are false in the weight; but the just God loveth justice, and his countenance beholdeth righteousness; and in the balance of his righteousness weigheth he the pleasures and the riches of this evil man, and the sins of this poor man, haply whereby he hath merited the wrath and the misfortunes which he bore; and the one from his honor and his glory he adjudged unto present torment; and the other, which had atoned in the furnace of poverty and of affliction, mercifully sent he unto the heavenly joys." Nor did the saint behold this of these men only, but often of many others did he behold and relate such things. Thus what the word of truth had before told of the rich man clothed in purple and the poor man covered with sores did this friend of truth declare himself to have beheld of other.
CHAPTER CLXXXII.
Saint Vinvaloeus is miraculously stayed by Saint Patrick
from his purposed Journey.
And in Lesser Britain lived a venerable man, named Vinvaloeus, who was even from his infancy renowned for signs and wonders; for as his acts are recorded, very many exceeding great miracles are attested to have been done by him. And he, the south wind so blowing that all his perfumes breathed forth, heard the holy name of Saint Patrick, and earnestly desired he to hasten unto the odor of his virtues. And long time he pondered and desired; and at length determined he to leave his country and his parents, and to go unto Hibernia to serve Christ under the discipulate and disciplinate of Saint Patrick; but when the night came, with the morrow whereof he purposed to begin his journey, he beheld in a vision that most illustrious man standing before him, clothed in his pontifical vestments; and then said he unto him: "Know thou me, beloved Vinvaloeus, to be the Patrick unto whom thou purposest to travel; yet weary thou not thyself, nor seek thou him whom thou canst not find; for the hour of my dissolution draweth nigh, when I shall go the way of all flesh. Therefore it is the will of God that thou leavest not this place; but by thy conversation and example shalt thou endeavor to gain over a people acceptable unto him, and which shall follow good works; forasmuch as the crown of life is yet to be seen, which he hath promised unto those who love him." Thus saying, the vision disappeared, and Vinvaloeus did as he was bidden of heaven. Now let the hearer admire his perfection, who by the spirit which was in him saw the desire of the holy man dwelling in Armorica, and thus wondrously changed him from the purpose of his intended journey.