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typicum.
120 HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.
with the meal I had taken than to run the risk of a future
repulse. After every one by his small taper had been
severally conducted to a chamber (each,
as I since under-
stood, into a peculiar one), there staid nine of us, including
he who discoursed with me at the table. Although our
small tapers left us not, yet within an hour's time one of
the pages came in, and, bringing a great bundle of cords
with him,
first demanded whether we had concluded to
stay there, which when we had with sighs affirmed, he
bound each of us in a several place, and so went away with
our tapers, leaving us poor wretches in darkness. Then
first began some to perceive the imminent danger, and
myself could not refrain tears, for, although we were not
forbidden to speak, anguish and affliction suffered none of
us to utter one word. The cords were so wonderfully
made that none could cut them, much less get them off his
feet, yet this comforted me, that the future gain of many
an one who had now betaken himself to rest would prove
little to his satisfaction, but we by one night's pennance
might expiate all our presumption. At length in my
sorrowful thoughts I fell asleep, during which I had a
dream which I esteem not impertinent to recount. Me-
thought I was upon an high mountain, and saw before me
what win be a great valley, wherein were gathered an unspeakable
tll6 1SSU6 01
the proba- multitude, each of whom had at his head a string by which
tory beam?
He that he was hanging. Now one hung high, another low, some
climbs high
sto d even q uite u P on the earth. In the air there flew
up and down an ancient man, who had in his hand a pair
of sheers, wherewith here he cut one's and there another's
thread. Now he that was nigh the earth fell without noise,
but when this happened to the high ones the earth quaked
at their fall. To some it came to pass that their thread