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Wynne, Ellis, 1671-1734

"The Visions of the Sleeping Bard"

The first thing the queen and the other saints did was to bend
the knee and tell of their wrongs to the King of Kings in these words:
"The stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, oh
Emmanuel." And immediately a voice replied: "Resist the devil and he
will flee from you." And then commenced the greatest and most terrible
conflict that ever took place on earth. When the sword of the Spirit
began to be whirled round, Belial and his infernal hosts began to
retreat; then the Pope began to waver, while the King of France still
held out, though he too was almost giving up heart, seeing the queen and
her subjects so united, while he himself was losing ships and men on the
one hand, and on the other many of his subjects were in open revolt; and
the onslaught of the Turk also was becoming less fierce. Just then,
woe's me, I saw my beloved companion shooting away from me into the
welkin to join a myriad other bright princes. Thereupon the Pope and the
other earthly commanders began to slink off and become prostrate through
fear, and the infernal princes to fall by the thousands. The noise of
each one falling seemed to me as if a great mountain fell into the depths
of the sea, and between this noise and the agitation on losing my friend,
I awoke from sleep, and returned to this oppressive sod, most
unwillingly, so pleasant and enjoyable it was to be a free spirit, and
above all to be in such company, notwithstanding the great danger I was
in.


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