in the world except themselves. These deeds they
confessed, because they were plainly set forth, with
every thought, intention, pleasure, and fear which
occupied their minds at the time. [3] There were others
who had accepted bribes, and had rendered venal judgments,
who were similarly explored from their memory and
from it everything they had done from the beginning
to the end of their office was reviewed. Every
detail in regard to what and how much they had received,
as well as the time, and their state of mind and intention,
were brought to their recollection and made visibly
clear to the number of many hundreds. This was
done with several and what is wonderful, in some cases
their memorandum-books, in which they had recorded
these things, were opened and read before them page
by page. [4] Others who had enticed maidens to shame
or had violated chastity were called to a like judgment;
and the details of their crimes were drawn forth from
their memory and reviewed. The very faces of the
maidens and women were also exhibited as if present,
with the places, words and intentions, and this as
suddenly as when a scene is presented to the sight,
the exhibitions continuing sometimes for hours. [5]
There was one who had made light of slandering others;
and I heard his slanders recounted in order, and his
defamations, with the very words, and the persons
about whom and before whom they were uttered; all of
which were produced and presented to the very life,
although while he lived in the world he had most carefully
concealed everything. [6] There was one who had deprived
a relative of his inheritance under a fraudulent pretext;
and he was in like manner convicted and judged; and
what is wonderful, the letters and papers that passed
between them were read in my hearing, and it was said
that not a word was lacking. [7] The same person shortly
before his death had also secretly poisoned his neighbor.
This was disclosed in this way. He appeared to
be digging a trench under his feet, from which a man
came forth as out of a grave, and cried out to him,
“What have you done to me?” Then everything
was revealed, how the poisoner had talked with him
in a friendly manner, and had held out the cup, also
what he thought beforehand, and what happened afterwards.
When all this had been disclosed he was sentenced
to hell. [8] In a word, to each evil spirit all his
evils, villainies, robberies, artifices, and deceits
are made clear, and are brought forth from his very
memory, and his guilt is fully established; nor is
there any possible room for denial, because all the
circumstances are exhibited together. Moreover,
I have learned from a man’s memory, when it was
seen and inspected by angels, what his thoughts had
been for a month, one day after another, and this
without mistake, the thoughts being recalled just
as they arose from day to day. [9] From these examples
it can be seen that man carries with him all of his
memory, and that nothing can be so concealed in the
world as not to be disclosed after death, which is
done in the presence of many, according to the Lord’s
words:


