Not-right, a pilgrim, struck dead upon the place where he was, with a thunderbolt!

"Alas! (said Mr. Feeble-Mind;) is he slain? He overtook me some days before I came so far as hither, and would be my company-keeper: he also was with me when Slay-good the Giant took me; but he was nimble of his heels, and escaped: But it seems he escaped to die, and I was took to live.

What, one would think, doth seek to slay outright,
Oft-times delivers from the saddest plight.
That very Providence, whose faith is death,
Doth oft-times to the lowly life bequeath:

I taken was, he did escape and flee:

Hands crost, gave death to him, and life to me."

Now about this time, Matthew and Mercy were married; al Gaius gave his daughter Phebe to James, Matthew's bother, to wife: after which time, they yet stayed about ten days at Gaius's house; spending their time, and the seasons, like as pilgrims used to do.

When they were to depart, Gaius made them a feast; Now the and they did eat and drink, and were merry. hour was come that they must be gone: wherefore Mr. Great-Heart called for a reckoning: but Gaius told him, "That, at his house it was not the custom of pilgrims to pay for their entertainment. He boarded them by the year; but looked for his pay from the good Samaritan,* who had promised him at his return, whatsoever charge he was at with them, faithfully to repay."

Then said Mr. Great-Heart to him, "Beloved, thou doest faithfully, whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers; which have bore witness of thy charity before the church; whom if thou (yet) bring forward on their journey, after a godly sort, thou shalt do well.'+'

Then Gaius took his leave of them all, and his children, and particularly of Mr. Feeble-Mind. He also gave him something to drink by the way.

Now Mr. Feeble-Mind, when they were going out of the door, made as if he intended to linger. The which when Mr. Great-Heart espied, he said, "Come Mr. Feeble-Mind, pray, do you go along with us; I will be your conductor, and you shall fare as the rest."

Feeble-Mind. Alas! I want a suitable companion: you are lusty and strong: but I, as you see, am weak: I choose therefore, rather to come behind, lest, by reason of my many infirmities, I should be both a burthen to myself and to you.

* Luke x. 34, 35.

† 3 John v. 6.

25

I am, as I said, a man of a weak and feeble mind, and shall be offended and made weak at that which others can bear. I shall like no laughing; I shall like no gay attire; I shall like no unprofitable questions: nay, I am so weak a man, as to be offended with that which others have a liberty to do: I do not know all the truth; I am a very ignorant Christian man: sometimes, if I hear any rejoice in the Lord, it troubles me, because I cannot do so too. It is with me, as it is with a weak man among the strong, or as a lamp despised; ('he that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease;')* so that I know not what to do.

Great-Heart. But, brother, I have it in my commission to comfort the feeble-minded, and to support the weak.† You must needs go along with us; we will wait for you, will lend you our help: we will deny ourselves of some things both opinionative and practical, for your sake: we will not enter into doubtful disputations before you: we will be made all things to you, rather than you shall be left behind.

Now all this while they were at Gaius's door: and behold, as they were thus in the heat of their discourse, Mr. Readyto-halt‡ came by, with his crutches in his hand; and he also was going on pilgrimage.

Then said Mr. Feeble-Mind to him; "How camest thou hither? I was but now complaining that I had not a suitable companion; but thou art according to my wish. Welcome, welcome, good Mr. Ready-to-halt; I hope thou and I may be some help.”

"I shall be glad of thy company, (said the other;) and, good Mr. Feeble-Mind, rather than we will part, since we are thus happily met, I will lend thee one of my crutches." Nay, (said he,) though I thank thee for thy good-will, 1 am not inclined to halt before I am lame. Howbeit, I think, when occasion is, it may help me against a dog."

66

Ready-to-halt. If either myself or my crutches can do thee a pleasure, we are both at thy command, good Mr. Feeble-Mind.

Thus therefore they went on. Mr. Great-Heart and Mr. Honest went before; Christiana and her children went next; and Mr. Feeble-Mind, and Mr. Ready-to-halt with his crutches, came behind.

Then said Mr. Honest; "Pray, sir, now we are upon the road, tell us some profitable things of some that have gone on pilgrimage before us.'

*Job xii. 5.

See the effects of a Christian spirit.

t1 Thes. v. 14.
+ See Psalmi xxxviii. 17.

Great-Heart. With a good will. I suppose you have heard how Christian of old did meet with Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation;* and also what hard work he had, to go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death: also Í think you cannot but have heard how Faithful was put to it by Madam Wanton; with Adam the First; with one Discontent, and Shame; four as deceitful villains, as a man can meet with upon the road.

Honest. Yes, I believe I heard of all this; but indeed good Faithful was hardest put to it with Shame; he was an unwearied one.

Great-Heart. Ay; for as that pilgrim well said, "he,† of all men had the wrong name.'

Honest. But pray, sir, where was it that Christian and Faithful met Talkative? That same was also a notable

one.

Great-Heart. He was a confident fool; yet many follow his ways.

Honest. He had like to have beguiled Faithful.

Great-Heart. Ay, but Christian put him into a way quickly to find him out.

Thus they went on till they came at the place where Evangelist met with Christian and Faithful, and prophesied to them what should befall them at Vanity-Fair.

Then said their Guide; "Hereabouts did Christian and Faithful meet with Evangelist; who prophesied to them of what troubles they should meet with at Vanity-Fair."

Honest. Say you so? I dare say it was a hard chapter that then he did read unto them.

Great-Heart. It was so, but he gave them encouragement withal. But what do we talk of them? they were a couple of lion-like men; they had set their faces like flints. Do not you remember how undaunted they were when they stood before the judge?

Honest. Well; Faithful bravely suffered.

Great-Heart. So he did; and as brave things came on it: for, Hopeful, and some others, as the story relates it,¶ were converted by his death.

Honest. Well, but pray go on; for you are well acquainted with things.

Great-Heart. Above all that Christian met with after he had passed through Vanity-Fair, one By-ends** was the arch-one.

*Part I. from p. 37 to p. 67. 1 See Part I. p. 60.

Part I. p. 61.

ti. e. Shame.-See Part I. p. 66, 67. Part I. p. 61. I See Isaiah 1. 7. **Of whom, see Part I. p. 69.

Honest. By-ends! what was he?

Great-Heart. A very arch fellow, a downright hypocrite; one that would be religious, which way ever the world • went; but so cunning, that he would be sure never to lose or suffer for it. He had his mode of religion for every fresh occasion; and his wife was as good at it as he. He would turn from opinion to opinion; yea, and plead for so doing too. But as far as I could learn, he came to an ill end with his by-ends; nor did I ever hear that any of his children were ever of any esteem with any that truly feared God. Now, by this time, they were come within sight of the town of Vanity, where Vanity-Fair is kept.

So when they saw that they were so near the town, they consulted with one another how they should pass through the town; and some said one thing, and some another. At last, Mr. Great-Heart said, "I have, as you may understand, often been a conductor of pilgrims through this town; now, I am acquainted with one Mr. Mnason, a Cyprusian by nation; an old disciple;* at whose house we may lodge. If you think good, (said he,) we will turn in there.

"Content," said old Honest; "Content," said Christiana; "Content," said Mr. Feeble-Mind; and so they said all.

Now, you must think, it was even-tide by that they got to the outside of the town: but Mr. Great-Heart knew the way to the old man's house. So thither they came; and they called at the door, and the old man within knew his tongue so soon as ever he heard it; so he opened, and they all came in. Then said Mnason, their host," How far have you come to-day?" So they said, " From the house of Gaius your friend." "I promise you, (said he,) you have gone a good stretch; you may well be weary: sit you down." So they sat down.

Then said their Guide, "Come, what cheer, good sirs? I dare say you are welcome to my friend."

"I also (said Mr. Mnason) do bid you welcome; and whatever you want, do but say, and we will do what we can to get it for you."

Honest. Our great want, a while since, was harbor and good company; and now, I hope, we have both.

Mnason. For harbor, you see what it is; but for good company, that will appear in the trial.

Great-Heart. Well, will you have the pilgrims into their lodging?

Mnason. I will.

So he had them to their respective places, and also show

*Sec Acts xxi. 16.

T

ed them a very fair dining-room, where they might be, and sup together, until time was come to go to rest.

Now, when they were set in their places, and were a little cheery after their journey, Mr. Honest asked his landlord, if there were any store of good people in the town?

Mnason. We have a few; for indeed they are but a few, when compared with them on the other side.

Honest. But how should we do to see some of them? For, the sight of good men to them that are going on pilgrimage, is like to the appearing of the moon and stars to them that are going a journey.

Then Mr. Mnason stamped with his foot, and his daughter Grace came up: so he said unto her; "Grace, go you, tell my friends, Mr. Contrite, Mr. Holy-man, Mr. LoveSaints, Mr. Dare-not-lie, and Mr. Penitent, that I have a friend or two at my house, that have a mind this evening to see them."

So Grace went to call them; and they came; and after salutation made, they sat down together at table.

Then said Mr. Mnason, their landlord, "My neighbors, I have, as you see, a company of strangers come to my house, that are pilgrims: They come from afar, and are going to Mount Zion. But who do you think this is? (quoth he, pointing his finger at Christiana:) It is Christiana, the wife of Christian, that famous pilgrim, who, with Faithful his brother, were so shamefully handled in our town."

At that they stood amazed; saying, "We little thought to see Christiana, when Grace came to call us; wherefore this is a very comfortable surprise." Then they asked her about her welfare, and if these young men were her husband's sons. And when she had told them they were, they said, "The King whom you love and serve, make you as your father, and bring you where he is in peace!"

Then Mr. Honest when they had all sat down) asked Mr. Contrite and the rest, in what posture their town was at present?

Contrite. You may be sure we are full of hurry in Fairtime: It is hard keeping our hearts and spirits in good order, when we are in a cumbered condition. He that lives in such a place as this, and that has to do with such as we have, has need of an item, to caution him to take heed every moment of the day.

Honest. But how are your neighbors now for quietness? Contrite. They are much more moderate now than formerly. You know how Christian and Faithful were used at our town; but of late, I say, they have been far more