In the region of Cunningham, Northumberland, there once lived a man named Drycthelm who was granted a miraculous vision that caused him to enter the Melrose monastery on Tweed. While his body laid there apparently lifeless, his soul was led to the East by a guide whose face and clothing streamed with a heavenly glow.
“We came,” so was Drycthelm’s report, “next in a long, deep valley that on one side was filled with bright glowing flames while on the other side reigned icy cold. The souls that were in this valley were exposed first to the frightful heat and then the paralyzing cold. I thought that I was in hell but my guide said, “This is not the hell that you think.”
Soon after we were surrounded by a heavy darkness, and to my fright I was left alone by my guide. I saw that from the darkness fiery spheres rose straight up as though from a fountain, and then fell back again. The tips of the glowing flames were filled by peoples’ souls that soon swirled in the smoke like glowing sparks, sinking quickly. A horrible stench polluted the air and the howling clamor of the tortured mixed with the cynical laughter of evil spirits. I noticed too how some souls were dragged away by devils and thrown into the jaws of Hell.
Black demons from whose noses and mouths glowing fire blew, came straight up from the depths and sought to grab me with fiery pincers so that I was gripped with undescribable fear. At this moment, however, my guide returned to me and the demons fell back into the abyss, howling furiously. With a lighter heart, I followed the heavenly messenger who led me to the North until I saw a clear light. Before me was a huge wall that appeared to reach to heaven. [I don’t know how it happened that we suddenly found ourselves on the top of this wall] and now I saw before me a wide and beautiful plain stretching into an unseeable distance. It was sewn with fragrant flowers and over it wandered glowing crowds in blessed happiness that gave out sweet songs of praise.
I thought that this must be the Kingdom of Heaven, but again my guide corrected me and said, “This is not heaven.” After we had crossed through this place, we came to another even more beautiful glowing one the delightfulness of which no mortal could describe. Here also rang out from the mouths of the holy loving songs accompanied by manifold instruments, and all that I knew of to this point appeared next to this to be nothing.
I hoped that we would also enter here, but my guide led me back to the field we had just left and asked, “Do you know what these things that you have just seen, mean?” I answered negatively, and he said, “The valley that was divided between heat and frost is meant for those who delay their penitence and confessions until their hour of death. They indeed escape Hell, but must be cleansed in heavy anguish for heaven. The surviving can lessen this pain with pious dealings, requiems, prayer and charity. But those who die without penitance will sink into hell from which there is no release.
“Finally, those who have lived an exemplary life go immediately to heaven. — now, you will return to your body, and if from now on you keep yourself free of sin you will tarry with them.” — He who was returned to life showed from then on that what the vison had shown him he bore in mind so that he died a blessed death, and with that, this story ends.