and in it was heard the sound of gay instruments. Into this one I was carefully led, and I was admonished to look around me, for here was a religious service more delightful than any other. And behold, along the walls there were everywhere images showing how a man could attain heaven. Here some were depicted who had made themselves ladders, set them heavenward and climbed up them; others piled up hills and mountains one on the other, that they might rise upward by such means; others fashioned for themselves wings and fastened them on; others caught up some winged creatures, tied them together, attached themselves to them, hoping with them thus to fly upward, and so forth. There were also many priests of divers shape, who showed these images to the people and praised them; at the same time, they taught them to distinguish themselves from the others by divers ceremonies. Now one clothed in gold and purple sat on a high throne distributing rare gifts to the followers and councillors who were his intimates. And it seemed to me that this was right orderly and more merry than anything else. But when I had visited the other sections, and saw that these attacked them, severely censured and blamed these things,[1] I became suspicious; particularly when I saw that they answered and defended themselves but timidly, while by means of stoning, water, fire and the sword, and on the other hand by means of gold, they enticed to them the misled people. Also did I behold among them much discord, disputes, hatred,
- ↑ I.e., the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church.
