Fortunatus then asked permission to enter, and the abbot cheerfully consented, only stipulating that his guest should keep near the entrance and not ramble too far, as some who had ventured in had never returned.

Next day early, Fortunatus received the Blessed Sacrament with his trusty Leopold; the door of the Purgatory was unlocked, each was provided with a taper, and then with the blessing of the abbot they were left in total darkness, and the door bolted behind them.  Both wandered on in the cave, hearing faintly the chanting of the monks in the church, till the sound died away.  They traversed several passages, lost their way, their candles burned out, and they sat down in despair on the ground, a prey to hunger, thirst, and fear.

The monks waited in the church hour after hour; and the visitors of the Purgatory had not returned.  Day declined, vespers were sung, and still there was no sign of the two who in the morning had passed from the church into the cave.  Then the servants of Fortunatus began to exhibit anger, and to insist on their master being restored to them.  The abbot was frightened, and sent for an old man who had once penetrated far into the cave with a ball of twine, the end attached to the door-handle.  This man volunteered to seek Fortunatus, and providentially his search was successful.  After this the abbot refused permission to any one to visit the cave.

In the reign of Henry II. lived Henry of Saltrey, who wrote a history of the visit of a Knight Owen to the Purgatory of St. Patrick, which gained immense popularity, ... was soon translated into other languages, and spread the fable through mediaeval Europe....  In English there are two versions.  In one of these, ‘Owayne Miles,’ the origin of the purgatory is thus described:—­

     “Holy byschoppes some tyme ther were,
     That tawgte me of Goddes lore. 
     In Irlonde preched Seyn Patryke;
     In that londe was non hym lyke: 
     He prechede Goddes worde full wyde,
     And tolde men what shullde betyde. 
     Fyrste he preched of Heven blysse,
     Who ever go thyder may ryght nowgt mysse: 
     Sethen he preched of Hell pyne,
     Howe we them ys that cometh therinne: 
     And then he preched of purgatory,
     As he fonde in hisstory;
     But yet the folke of the contre
     Beleved not that hit mygth be;
     And seyed, but gyf hit were so,
     That eny non myth hymself go,
     And se alle that, and come ageyn,
     Then wolde they beleve fayn.”

Vexed at the obstinacy of his hearers, St. Patrick besought the Almighty to make the truth manifest to the unbelievers; whereupon

     “God spakke to Saynt Patryke tho
     By nam, and badde hym with Hym go: 
     He ladde hym ynte a wyldernesse,
     Wher was no reste more no lesse,
     And shewed that he might se
     Inte the erthe a pryve entre: 
     Hit was yn a depe dyches