AND ARE CORDIALLY WELCOMED BY HIM.

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How far have ye come to-day?' So they said' From ⚫ the house of GAIUS our friend.' I promise you,' said he, you have gone a good stitch; you may well be weary; sit down.' So they sat down.

Then said their guide, Come, what cheer, good Sirs? I dare say your 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.

HON. Our great want, a while since, was harbour and good company, and now I hope we have both. MNAS. For harbour, you see what it is; but for good company, that will appear in the trial.

Well, said Mr. GREAT-HEART, will you have the pilgrims into their lodging?

I will, said Mr. MNASON. So he had them to their respective places; and also showed 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?

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

HON. But how shall 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

132 THEY ARE VISITED BY SOME OF MNASON'S FRIENDS.

his daughter GRACE came up so he said unto her, GRACE, go you, tell my friends, Mr. CONTRITE, Mr. HOLYMAN, Mr. LOVE-SAINTS, Mr. DARENOT-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 the table.

Then said Mr. MNASON, their landlord, My neighbours, I have, as you see, a company of strangers come to my house: they are pilgrims: they come from afar, and are going to Mount SION. But who, quoth he, do you think this is? (pointing his fingers 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 surprize. 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 were all sat down, asked Mr. CONTRITE, and the rest, in what posture their town was at present.

CONTR. You may be sure we are full of hurry in fair-time. It is hard keeping our hearts and spirits

WHO SHOW THE STATE OF THE TOWN OF VANITY.

133

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.

HON. But how are your neighbours now for quietness?

CONTR. They are much more moderate now than for-merly. You know how CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL were used at our town: but of late, I say, they have been far more moderate. I think the blood of FAITHFUL lieth with load upon them till now; for since they burned him, they have been ashamed to burn any more: in those days we were afraid to walk the streets, but now we can show our heads. Then the name of a professor was odious; now, especially in some parts of our town, (for you know our town is large,) religion is counted honourable.

Then said Mr. CONTRITE to them, Pray how fareth it with you in your pilgrimage? How stands the country affected towards you?

HON. It happens to us, as it happeneth to wayfaring men sometimes our way is clean, sometimes foul, sometimes up hill, sometimes down hill; we are seldom at a certainty: the wind is not always on our backs, nor is every one a friend that we meet with in the way. We have met with some notable rubs already and what are yet behind we know not; but, for the most part, we find it true that has been talked of old, A good man must suffer trouble.'

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134 GREAT-HEART RELATES THE PILGRIMS' ADVENTURES.

CONTR. You talk of rubs:-what rubs have you met withal?

HON. Nay, ask Mr. GREAT-HEART, our guide, for he can give the best account of that.

GR.-H. We have been beset three or four times. already. First, CHRISTIANA and her children were beset with two ruffians, that they feared would take away their lives. We were beset with giant BLOODYMAN, giant MAUL, and giant SLAY-GOOD. Indeed we did rather beset the last, than were beset of him. And thus it was: after we had been some time at the house of GAIUS, " mine host, and of the whole "church," .we were minded upon a time to take our with us, weapons and so go see if we could light upon any of those that were enemies to pilgrims; for we heard that there was a notable one thereabouts. Now GAIUS knew his haunt better than I, because he dwelt thereabout; so we looked and looked, till at last we discerned the mouth of his cave; then were we glad, and plucked up our spirits. So we approached up to his den; and lo, when we came there, he had dragged, by mere force, into his net, this poor man, Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, and was about to bring him to his end. But when he saw us, supposing, as we thought, he had another prey; he left the poor man in his house, and came out. So we fell to it full sore, and he lustily laid about him; but in con clusion, he was brought down to the ground, and his head cut off, and set up by the way-side, for a terror to such as should after practise such ungodliness. That

THEIR FURTHER CONVERSATION.

135

I tell you the truth, here is the man himself to affirm it, who was as a lamb taken out of the mouth of the lion.

Then said Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, I found this true, to my cost and comfort: to my cost, when he threatened to pick my bones every moment; and to my comfort, when I saw Mr. GREAT-HEART and his friends, with their weapons, approach so near for my deliverance.

Then said Mr. HOLY-MAN, There are two things that they have need to be possessed of, that go on pilgrimage; courage, and an unspotted life. If they have not courage, they can never hold on their way; and, if their lives be loose, they will make the very name of a pilgrim stink.

Then said Mr LOVE-SAINT, I hope this caution is not needful among you: but truly there are many that go upon the road, that rather declare themselves strangers to pilgrimage, than strangers and pilgrims in the earth.

Then said Mr. DARE-NOT-LIE, It is true, they neither have the pilgrim's weed, nor the pilgrim's courage: they go not uprightly, but all uprightly, but all awry with their feet: one shoe goeth inward, another outward, and their hosen out behind; here a rag, and there a rent, to the disparagement of their Lord,

These things, said Mr. PENITENT, they ought to be troubled for; nor are the pilgrims like to have that grace upon them and their pilgrim's progress as they re, until the way is cleared of such spots and bie

hes.

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