Dritheim Cuningham of Northumbria's Out-of-body Vision, A. D. 696
—from the venerable Saint Bede, Ecclesiastical History of England, Book 5, chap. 12
This account is as edited by J. A. Giles, D.C.L. and published in London by George Bell & Sons,
1903 [FHL 942 H2b; 845138 item 3] cf. also another website
p. 253 Of one among the Northumbrians, who rose from the dead, and relate I the things which
he had seen, some exciting terror and others delight.
At this time a memorable miracle, and like to those of former days, was wrought in Britain; for, to
the end that the living might be saved from the death of the soul, a certain person, who had been
some time dead, rose again to life, and related many remarkable things he had seen; some of
which I have thought fit here briefly to take notice of.
There was a master of a family in that district of the Northumbrians which is called Cuningham,
who led a religious life, as did also all that belonged to him. This man fell sick, and his distemper
daily increasing, being brought to extremity, he died in the beginning of the night; but in the
morning early, he suddenly came to life again, and sat up, upon which all those that sat about the
body weeping, fled away in a p. 254 great fright, only his wife, who loved him best, though in a
great consternation and trembling, remained with him. He, comforting her, said, "Fear not, for I
am now truly risen from death, and permitted again to live among men; however, I am not to live
hereafter as I was wont, but from henceforward after a very different manner." Then rising
immediately, he repaired to the oratory of the little town, and continuing in prayer till day,
immediately divided all his substance into three parts; one whereof he gave to his wife, and other
to his children, and the third, belonging to himself, he instantly distributed among the poor. Not
long after, he repaired to the monastery of Melrose, which is almost enclosed by the winding of
the river Tweed, and having been shaven, went into a private dwelling, which the abbat had
provided, where he continued till the day of his death, in such extraordinary contrition of mind
and body, that though his tongue had been silent, his life declared that he had seen many things
either to be dreaded or coveted, which others knew nothing of.
Thus he related what he had seen. "He that led me had a shining countenance and a bright
garment, and we went on silently, as I thought, towards the north-east. Walking on, we came to a
vale of great breadth and depth, but of infinite length; on the left it appeared full of dreadful
flames, the other side was no less horrid for violent hail and cold snow flying in all directions; both
places were full of men's souls, which seemed by turns to be tossed from one side to the other, as
it were by a violent storm; for when the wretches could no longer endure the excess of heat, they
leaped into the middle of the cutting cold; and finding no rest there, they leaped back again into
the middle of the unquenchable flames. Now whereas an innumerable multitude of deformed
spirits were thus alternately tormented far and near, as far as could be seen, without any
intermission, I began to think that this perhaps might be hell, of whose intolerable flames I had
often heard talk. My guide, who went before me, answered to my thought, saying, 'Do not
believe so, for this is not the hell you imagine.'
"When he had conducted me, much frightened with that horrid spectacle, by degrees, to the
farther end, on a sudden p. 255 I saw the place begin to grow dusk and filled with darkness.
When I came into it, the darkness, by degrees, grew so thick, that I could see nothing besides it
and the shape and garment of him that led me. As we went on through the shades of night, on a
sudden there appeared before us frequent globes of black flames, rising as it were out of a great
pit, and falling back again into the same. When I had been conducted thither, my leader suddenly
vanished, and left me alone in the midst of darkness and this horrid vision, whilst those same
globes of fire, without intermission, at one time flew up and at another fell back into the bottom
of the abyss; and I observed that all the flames, as they ascended were full of human souls, which,
like sparks flying up with smoke, were sometimes thrown on high, and again, when the vapour of
the fire ceased, dropped down into the depth below. Moreover, an insufferable stench came forth
with the vapours, and filled all those dark places.
"Having stood there a long time in much dread, not knowing what to do, which way to turn, or
what end I might expect, on a sudden I heard behind me the noise of a most hideous and wretched
lamentation, and at the same time a loud laughing, as of a rude multitude insulting captured
enemies. When that noise, growing plainer, came up to me, I observed a gang of evil spirits
dragging the howling and lamenting souls of men into the midst of the darkness, whilst they
themselves laughed and rejoiced. Among those men, as I could discern, there was one shorn like
a clergyman, a layman, and a woman. The evil spirits that dragged them went down into the
midst of the burning pit; and as they went down deeper, I could no longer distinguish between the
lamentation of the men and the laughing of the devils, yet I still had a confused sound in my ears.
In the meantime, some of the dark spirits ascended from that flaming abyss, and running forward,
beset me on all sides, and much perplexed me with their glaring eyes and the stinking fire which
proceeded from their mouths and nostrils; and threatened to lay hold on me with burning tongs,
which they had in their hands, yet they durst not touch me, though they frightened me. Being thus
on all sides enclosed with enemies and darkness, and looking about on every side for assistance,
there appeared behind me, on the way that I p. 256 came, as it were, the brightness of a star
shining amidst the darkness; which increased by degrees, and came rapidly towards me: when it
drew near, all those evil spirits, that sought to carry me away with their tongs, dispersed and fled.
"He, whose approach put them to flight, was the same that led me before; who, then turning
towards the right, began to lead me, as it were, towards the south-east, and having soon brought
me out of the darkness, conducted me into an atmosphere of clear light. While he thus led me in
open light, I saw a vast wall before us, the length and height of which, in every direction, seemed
to be altogether boundless. I began to wonder why we went up to the wall, seeing no door,
window, or path through it. When we came to the wall, we were presently, I know not by what
means, on the top of it, and within it was a vast and delightful field, so full of fragrant flowers that
the odour of its delightful sweetness immediately dispelled the stink of the dark furnace, which
had pierced me through and through. So great was the light in this place, that is seemed to
exceed the brightness of the day, or the sun in its meridian height. In this field were innumerable
assemblies of men in white, and many companies seated together rejoicing. As he led me through
the midst of those happy inhabitants, I began to think that this might, perhaps, be the kingdom of
heaven, of which I had often heard so much. He answered to my thought, saying, 'This is not the
kingdom of heaven, as you imagine.'
"When we had passed those mansions of blessed souls and gone farther on, I discovered before
me a much more beautiful light, and therein heard sweet voices of persons singing, and so
wonderful a fragrancy proceeded from the place, that the other which I had before thought most
delicious, then seemed to me but very indifferent; even as that extraordinary brightness of the
flowery field, compared with this, appeared mean and inconsiderable. When I began to hope we
should enter that delightful place, my guide, on a sudden stood still; and then turning back, led me
back by the way we came.
"When we returned to those joyful mansions of the souls in white, he said to me, 'Do you know
what all these things p. 257 are which you have seen?' I answered, I did not; and then he replied,
'That vale you saw so dreadful for consuming flames and cutting cold, is the place in which the
souls of those are tried and punished, who, delaying to confess and amend their crimes, at length
have recourse to repentance at the point of death, and so depart this life; but nevertheless because
they, even at their death, confessed and repented, they shall all be received into the kingdom of
heaven at the day of judgment; but many are relieved before the day of judgment, by the prayers,
alms, and fasting, of the living, and more especially by masses. That fiery and stinking pit, which
you saw, is the mouth of hell, into which whosoever falls shall never be delivered to all eternity.
This flowery place, in which you see these most beautiful young people, so bright and merry, is
that into which the souls of those are received who depart the body in good works, but who are
not so perfect as to deserve to be immediately admitted into the kingdom of heaven; yet they shall
all, at the day of judgment, see Christ, and partake of the joys of his kingdom; for whoever are
perfect in thought, word and deed, as soon as they depart the body, immediately enter into the
kingdom of heaven; in the neighbourhood whereof that place is, where you heard the sound of
sweet singing, with the fragrant odour and bright light. As for you, who are now to return to
your body, and live among men again, if you will endeavour nicely to examine your actions, and
direct your speech and behaviour in righteousness and simplicity, you shall, after death, have a
place or residence among these joyful troops of blessed souls; for when I left you for a while, it
was to know how you were to be disposed of.' When he had said this to me, I much abhorred
returning to my body, being delighted with the sweetness and beauty of the place I beheld, and
with the company of those I saw in it. However, I durst not ask him any questions; but in the
meantime, on a sudden, I found myself alive among men."
Now these and other things which this man of God saw, he would not relate to slothful persons
and such as lived negligently; but only to those who, being terrified with the dread of torments, or
delighted with the hopes of heavenly joys, would make use of his words to advance in piety. In
the neighbourhood of his cell lived one Hemgils, a monk, p. 258 eminent in the priesthood, which
he honoured by his good works: he is still living, and leading a solitary life in Ireland, supporting
his declining age with coarse bread and cold water. He often went to that man, and asking several
questions, heard of him all the particulars of what he had seen when separated from his body; by
whose relation we also came to the knowledge of those few particulars which we have briefly set
down. He also related his visions to King Alfred, a man most learned in all respects, and was by
him so willingly and attentively heard, that at his request he was admitted into the monastery
above-mentioned, and received the monastic tonsure; and the said king, when he happened to be
in those parts, very often went to hear him. At that time the religious and humble abbat and
priest, Ethelwald, presided over the monastery, and now with worthy conduct possesses the
episcopal see of the church of Lindisfarne.
He had a more private place of residence assigned him in that monastery, where he might apply
himself to the service of his Creator in continual prayer. And as that place lay on the bank of the
river, he was wont often to go into the same to do penance in his body, and many times to dip
quite under the water, and to continue saying psalms or prayers in the same as long as he could
endure it, standing still sometimes up to the middle, and sometimes to the neck in water; and
when he went out from thence ashore, he never took off his cold and frozen garments till they
grew warm and dry on his body. And when in the winter the half-broken pieces of ice were
swimming about him, which he had himself broken, to make room to stand or dip himself in the
river, those who beheld it would say, "It is wonderful, brother Dritheim, (for so he was called,)
that you are able to endure such violent cold;" he simply answered, for he was a man of much
simplicity and indifferent wit, "I have seen greater cold." And when they said, "It is strange that
you will endure such austerity;" he replied, "I have seen more austerity." Thus he continued,
through an indefatigable desire of heavenly bliss, to subdue his aged body with daily fasting, till
the day of his being called away; and thus he forwarded the salvation of many by his words and
example.