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Restis
dififtcultas.
172
HISTORY OF THE ROS1CRUCIAAS.
fountain ran no longer, and we were fain to remove it out
of the way. After all things were carried off, he, taking
with him the casket and glasses, took leave, and locked
the door after him, so we imagined
that we had been
Ascensusin imprisoned in this Tower: but it was hardly a quarter of
2 conclave.
an hour before a round hole above was uncovered, where
Descriptio
2 conclav
The little
casket.
we saw our Virgin, who bad us good morrow, desiring us
to come up. They with the wings were instantly through
the hole ; only they with the ropes were in an evil plight,
for as soon as ever one of us was up, he was commanded to
draw up the ladder to him. At last each man's rope was
hanged on an iron hook, and he climbed up as well as he
could, which indeed was not compassed without blisters.
When we were all well up, the hole was again covered, and
we were friendly received by the Virgin.
This room was
the whole breadth of the Tower itself, having six very
stately vestries a little raised and reached by three steps.
In these we were distributed to pray for the life of the
King and Queen. Meanwhile the Virgin went in and out
at the little door a till we had done. As soon as our
process was absolved, there was brought in through the
little door by twelve persons, which were formerly our
musitians, a wonderful thing of longish shape, which my
companions took to be a fountain, and which was placed in
the middle. I well observed that the corps lay in it, for
the inner chest was of an oval figure, so large that six
persons might well lie therein one by another. After this
they again went forth, fetched their instruments, and con-
ducted in our Virgin, with her she-attendants, to a most
delicate voice of musick. The Virgin carried a little
casket, the rest only branches, and small lamps or lighted