And then other devils came, coming out of the well straight at me, and said to me:
‘What are you doing here? Our companions told you that this was the well of hell and they lied, for our custom is to always lie, because we willingly deceive by lying; in truth, we deceive all those who we can. But this is not the well of hell — but we will lead and put you there.’
And they made me a great storm and saying31 this they led me far. And from there we came to a very long, wide and stinking river; and it seemed to me that everything was fire and flame of ignited sulfur and it was all full of devils. And those who had brought me said to me:
‘You must go and cross this bridge; as soon as you go out, the wind which is is the river will blow you and cast you into this river, and our companions who are there will seize you and make you dive into the deepest part. But you must pass and look before which path the bridge is.’
And that had in it three things which make one fear much. The first that it was icy and narrow; and even if it were wide enough, one could hardly keep oneself on it. The second, it was so high that it was most to be feared and it was a terrible thing to look at the ground. The third was that the wind rushed so strongly on it that no one could imagine the noise that it made there. They they told me that:
‘If you wish to believe us, you will escape this torment for this is the last one that you will find.’
And I thought then that Our Lord had kept and defended me and with great courage I mounted on the bridge. The further I went forward on it, the wider I found it and the more surely I went, for the bridge widened on both sides, so that two laden animals could pass on it. And the devils who had brought me there remained on the river bank and when they went and saw that I was going so surely on the bridge, they made a very great and very horrible lamentation and so awful that they scared me more and their shouting made me fear more than the fear had done of the torments which I had seen or heard or passed through. And I passed off the bridge as if no one was holding it against me. And when I was well advanced, I looked at the river and the bridge which I had passed and the devils who had left me who could no longer do me any harm.
Many32 things I saw in that purgatory, things which I was forbidden to tell on pain of death, and God forbid that they should be revealed by my mouth. He who would think on the afflictions and the torments which are there, would have them always in the memory of his heart; the travails and pains of this world or other sicknesses or poverty would not weigh them down for all the torments of this world are but sweet dews and sweet honey33 compared to those; and no one would take carnal pleasure in any delights of this world. And he who thinks well — of these who are religious and in affliction, they should think how great are the torments and pains of hell and the pains and torments of purgatory, for it is a by far lighter thing to suffer pains in this world, both in body and soul, than if one has to suffer and go to so many ills and afflictions in purgatory, and even more in hell.
Let us pray always to Our Lord that through his holy mercy and his great mildness he may grant and make us pass through the pains of purgatory and come to the glory of paradise in the joy and well being which will never fail us. And let us pray Our Lord for our fathers and mothers and for all our good friends who have passed from this world to the other and are in those torments, that Jesus Christ through his grace and mercy may deign to release them. And may all those who will pray and give alms or other good things for those men or women who are in those pains be blessed by God and before his face, because this is the greatest need that may exist, or have pity on those who are there, for this is the greatest charity that may exist. And this is a thing for which those persons are tormented in purgatory so that they may be lightened of the torments and released, not for those who will inter through the mouth of hell. Now let everyone decide to do good and not evil and keep himself so as not to do what will oblige him to go to hell, for this is without return and without end. And may that Lord who has all things in his power keep us all, men and women, from evil. Amen.