her subjects against the inhabitants of the City of Destruction, the one in the right, to preserve them from Belial and his spiritual evils, and this was called “the sword of the Spirit,” or the Word of God.  Beneath the left sword lay the statute book of England, and beneath the other, a big Bible.  The sword of the Spirit was fiery, and of immense length, and would kill further away than the other would touch.  I could see the other princes with like arms defending their part of the church, but I deemed mine own queen fairest of all, and her arms the brightest.  At her right hand I observed throngs clad in black—­archbishops, bishops, and learned men upholding with her the sword of the Spirit, while soldiers and officials, with a few lawyers, supported the other sword.  I was allowed to rest awhile, by one of the magnificent doors where people came in to obtain membership in the Universal Church, and whereat a tall angel was doorkeeper.  The interior of the church was lit up so brilliantly that Hypocrisy dared not show her face therein, and though sometimes she appeared at the threshold she never entered.  Just as I saw, in the space of a quarter of an hour, a Papist, who thought that the Catholic Church belonged to the Pope, came and claimed its freedom.  “What have you to prove your right?” demanded the porter.  “I have plenty of the traditions of the fathers, and of councils of the church,” he answered, “but what need I more certain than the word of the Pope, who sits in the infallible chair?” Then the doorkeeper opened a huge Bible—­a load in itself; “This,” said he, “is our only statute book—­prove your right from this or go.”  And he straightway departed.

Then came a flock of Quakers, who wished to enter with their hats on, but were turned away for being so ill-mannered.  After them some of the barn-folk, who had been there only a short while, began to speak:  “We have the same statute book as ye have,” they averred, “and therefore show us our privileged place.”  “Stay,” said the bright porter, steadfastly gazing on their foreheads, “I will show you something:  see yon mark of the rent ye made in the church when leaving it without cause or reason?  And would ye now have a place therein?  Get ye back to the narrow gate, and wash thoroughly in the well of repentance, to see if ye will reach some of the royal blood ye erstwhile drank {36a} and bring some of the water of that well to moisten the clay, so as to make up yonder rent and then ye are welcome.”

Before we had gone a rood westward I heard a noise coming from above, from among the princes, and everybody, great and small, was taking up arms and donning his armour as if for war, and ere I had time to cast about me for a refuge, the whole sky became black, and the city darker than when an eclipse befalls; the thunder roared, the lightning flashed to and fro, and ceaseless showers of deadly shafts were directed from the lower gates against the Catholic Church, and had there not