4. Pompa Perditorum - Vexilla nigra (pars quarta)

Vēxilla nigra

Nōn multō post, numerōsum agmen clēricōrum et monachōrum, jūdicēs atque rēctōrēs eōrum, epīscopōs et abbātēs cum pāstōrālibus cambūtīs advertit.

Clēricī et epīscopī nigrīs cappīs indūtī erant. Monachī quoque et abbātēs nigrīs nihilōminus cucullīs amictī erant. Gemēbant et plangēbant, et nōnnūllī Galchelmum vocitābant, ac prō prīstinā familiāritāte ut prō sē ōrāret postulābant. Multōs nīmīrum magnae aestimātiōnis ibi presbyter sē vīdisse rettulit, quōs hūmāna opīniō sānctīs in caelō jam conjūnctōs astruit.

Terribilibus vīsīs presbyter admodum trepidābat. baculōque innīxus, terribiliōra exspectābat. Ecce ingēns exercitus mīlitum sequēbātur, et nūllus color sed nigrēdō et scintillāns ignis in eīs vidēbātur. Maximīs omnēs equīs īnsidēbant et omnibus armīs armātī velut ad bellum festīnābant, et nigerrima vēxilla gestābant.

Black banners

Not long after, he saw pass before him a numerous company of clergy and monks, with their rulers and judges, the bishops and abbots carrying croziers in their hands.

The clergy and bishops wore black copes, and the abbots and monks cowls of the same hue. They all groaned and wailed, and some of them called to Walkelin, and implored him in the name of their former friendship to pray for them. The priest reported that he saw among them many who were highly esteemed, and who, in human estimation, were now associated with the saints in heaven.

The priest, trembling at these appalling scenes, still rested on his staff, expecting apparitions still more terrible. And now there followed an immense army in which no colour was visible, but only blackness and fiery flames. All were mounted on great war-horses, and fully armed as if they were prepared for immediate battle, and they carried black banners.