And here is another, who went, last
Twelfth Night, to visit two Welsh lasses who were turning their shifts,
and instead of enticing them to wantonness in the form of a fair youth,
to one he took a bier, to make her thoughts more serious; to the other,
he went with the tumult of war in a hellish whirlwind, to make her madder
than before; and this was quite needless. Nor was this all; for after he
had entered the maiden, and had thrown her about, and sorely tormented
her, some of our learned enemies were sent for to pray for her and to
cast him out, and instead of tempting her to despair and endeavouring to
win over the preachers, he began to preach to them, and to disclose the
mysteries of your kingdom, thus aiding their salvation instead of
hindering it." At the word "salvation" I saw some leaping up, a living
fire of rage. "Every tale is fair till the other side be told," quoth
the devil, "I hope Lucifer will not allow one of the earth-born race of
Adam to contend with me, who am an angel of far superior kind and stock."
"His punishment is certain," said Lucifer, "but do thou, sirrah, give
clear and ready answer to these charges; or by hopeless Hell I will--.
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