483. To this I will add some particulars from the spiritual world that are worthy of mention.

I have heard there that some married men have a lust to carry on licentiously with other women - some with undeflowered women or virgins; some with experienced women or harlots; some with married women or wives; some with such as are of noble birth; and some with such as are of humble birth. I have been assured that this is the case from the evidence of many from various countries in that world.

When I was once deliberating on the variety of these lusts, I inquired whether there are men who experience delight only with the wives of others, and none with unmarried women. Therefore, in order to show me that there are, a number of them from a certain country were brought to me and made to speak in accordance with their libidinous nature. They said that they had found and also continued to find their only pleasure and delight in committing whoredom with the wives of others. Moreover, they said they procure for themselves beautiful ones and pay them for their services at a great price, according to their means; for the most part agreeing on the price with the woman alone.

I asked why they did not procure for themselves the services of unmarried women.

They said that that was, for them, too commonplace, being in itself nothing special and so empty of delight.

I asked further whether these wives afterwards went back to their husbands and continued to live with them.

They replied that either they did not or they did so coldly, because they had become whores.

[2] After that I inquired of them seriously whether they had ever considered, or whether they considered now, that what they did was double adultery, because they did it while being themselves married, and that such adultery devastates a person of every spiritual good.

In response to this, however, most of those who were there laughed and said, "What is spiritual good?"

Nevertheless I persisted, saying, "What is more abhorrent than to commingle one's own soul with the soul of the husband in his wife? Do you not know that a man's soul is present in his seed or sperm?"

At this they turned away and muttered, "What harm is there in that?"

Finally I said, "Even though you do not fear Divine laws, are you not afraid of the civil laws?"

They replied that they were not - "only of some of the clergy of the church," they said, "but in their presence we conceal what we are doing; and if we cannot, we ingratiate ourselves with them."

I afterwards saw these men divided into groups and some of the groups cast into hell.