THE

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.

PART II.

WHEREIN IS SET FORTH

THE MANNER OF THE SETTING OUT OF CHRISTIAN'S WIFE AND CHILDREN; THEIR DANGEROUS JOURNEY, AND SAFE ARRIVAL AT THE DESIRED COUNTRY.

THE

AUTHOR'S WAY OF SENDING FORTH HIS

SECOND PART.

'GO now, my little Book, to every place,
Where my First Pilgrim has but shewn his face ;
Call at the door; If any say, Who's there?
Then answer thou, CHRISTIANA is here.
'If they bid thee come in, then enter thou,

With all thy boys: and then thou knowest how ;
Tell who they are, also from whence they came;
Perhaps they know them by their locks or name:
But, if they should not, ask them yet again,
If formerly they did not entertain

• One Christian, a pilgrim? If they say

They did, and were delighted in his way,

Then let them know, that those related are

Unto him: yea, his wife and children were.

'Tell them that they have left their house and home,

'Are turned pilgrims, seek a world to come :

That they have met with hardships in their way,

That they do meet with troubles night and day:

That they have trod on serpents, fought with devils,
Have also overcome a many evils.

'Yea, tell them also of the next who have

Of love to pilgrimage, been stout and brave

'Defenders of that way, and now they still
6 Refuse this world to do their Father's will.
Go tell them also of those dainty things
That pilgrimage unto the pilgrims brings:
Let them acquainted be too, how they are
• Beloved of their King, under his care;

What goodly mansions he for them provides,
Tho' they meet with rough winds and swelling tides.
• How brave a calm they will enjoy at last,
Who to the Lord, and by his ways hold fast.

Perhaps with heart and hand they will embrace Thee, as they did my firstling, and will grace Thee, and thy fellows, with good cheer and fare, As shew well, they of pilgrims lovers are.'

1. OBJECTION.

But how, if they will not believe of me
That I am truly thine; 'cause some there be
That counterfeit the Pilgrim, and his name;
Seek by disguise to seem the very same,

And by that means have brought themselves into
The hands and houses of I know not who.

ANSWER.

'Tis true, some have of late to counterfeit

My Pilgrim to their own, my title set;

Yea, others half my name and title too

'Have stitched to their books, to make them do ;

'But yet they by their features do declare

Themselves not mine to be, whose e'er they are. "If such thou meet'st, then thine only way 'Before them all is, to Say out thy Say,

In thine own native language, which no man 'Now useth, nor with ease dissemble car. If, after all, they still of you shall doubt,

Thinking that you like gipsies, go about

In naughty wise, the country to defile,

Or that you seek good people to beguile
With things unwarrantable, then send for me,
And I will testify you pilgrims be;
Yea, I will testify that only you

My pilgrims are, and that alone will do.'

2. OBJECTION.

But yet, perhaps, I may enquire for him, Of those that wish him damned life and limb, What shall I do, when I at such a door

For pilgrims ask, and they shall raga the more?

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ANSWER.

Fright not thyself, my book, for such bugbears

Are nothing else but ground for groundless fears.

My Pilgrim's book has travelled sea and land,

Yet could I never come to understand

That it was slighted or turn'd out of door

By any kingdom, were they rich or poor.

In France and Flanders, where men kill each other,

My Pilgrim is esteem'd a friend, a brother.

In Holland too, 'tis said, as I am told,
My Pilgrim is with some worth more than gold.
Highlanders and Wild-Irish can agree
My Pilgrim should familiar with them be.
"Tis in New England under such advance,

• Receives there too so much loving countenance,

• As to be trimm'd, new cloth'd, and deck'd with gems,

• That it may shew its features and its limbs.

Yet more; so commonly doth my Pilgrim walk,
That of him thousands daily sing and talk.
• If you draw nearer home, it will appear,

My Pilgrim knows no ground of shame or fear,
City and country will always entertain

• With welcome, Pilgrim, yea, they can't refrain
From smiling, if my Pilgrim be but by,

Or shew his head in any company.

'Brave gallants do my Pilgrim hug and love, 'Esteem it much, yea, value it above

Things of a greater bulk; yea, with delight

Say, my lark's leg is better than a kite.

Young ladies, and young gentlemen too,
'Do no small kindness for my Pilgrim shew:
"Their cabinets, their bosoms, and their hearts,

My Pilgrim has, 'cause he to them imparts
His pretty riddles in such wholesome strains,
As yields them profit double to their pains
Of reading; yea, I think I may be bold
To say, some prize him far above their gold.
The very children that do walk the street,
"If they do but my holy Pilgrim meet,
Salute him well, will wish him well and say,
He is the only stripling of the day.

.

They that have never seen him, yet admire
• What they have heard of him, and much desire
To have his company, and hear him tell

Those pilgrim stories which he knows so well.
"Yea, some that did not love him at the first,
• But call'd him fool and noddy, say they must,
2 F

Now they have seen and heard him, commend, And to those whom they love they do him send. Wherefore, my Second Part, thou need'st not be 'Afraid to shew thy head; none can hurt thee, That wish but well to him that went before, 'Cause thou com'st after with a second store

Of things as good, as rich, as profitable,

For young, for old, for stagg'ring, and for stable.'

3. OBJECTION.

'But some there are that say, He laughs too loud: 'And some do say, His head is in a cloud.

Some say, His words and stories are so dark,

They know not how by them he finds his mark.

ANSWER.

One may, (I think) say, both his laughs and cries May well be guess'd at by his wat'ry eyes. 'Some things are of that nature as to make 'One's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache; • When Jacob saw his Rachael with the sheep, He did at the same time, both kiss and weep. 'Whereas, some say, a cloud is in his head, That doth but shew his wisdom's covered 'With his own mantle, and to stir the mind

To search well after what he fain would find. • Things that seem to be hid in words obscure, 'Do but the godly mind the more allure

To study what those sayings should contain,
" That speak to us in such a cloudy strain.
I also know a dark similitude

• Will on the curious fancy more intrude,
And will stick faster in the heart and head,
Than things from similes not borrowed.
Wherefore, my book, let no discouragement
Hinder thy travels: thou art sent

To friends, not foes, to friends that will give place
To thee, thy pilgrims, and thy words embrace.
Besides, what my first Pilgrim left conceal'd,
Thou, my brave second Pilgrim, hast reveal'd.
What Christian left lock'd up, and went his way,
• Sweet Christiana opens with her key.'

4. OBJECTION.

But some love not the method of your first;
Romance they count it, throw't away as dust.
If I should meet with such, What should I say?
Must I slight them as they slight me, or nay?

ANSWER.

'Christiana, if with such you meet,

By all means in all loving-wise them greet,

Render them not reviling for revile;

'But if they frown, I prithee on them smile : Perhaps 'tis nature, or some ill report,

Has made them thus despise, or thus retort. "Some love no fish, some love no cheese, and some 'Love not their friends, nor their own house or home, 'Some start at pig, slight chicken, love not fowl, More than they love a cuckoo, or an owl; 'Leave such, my Christiana, to their choice, And seek those who to find thee will rejoice : By no means strive, but in humble wise,

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• Present thee to them in thy pilgrim's guise. Go then, my little book, and shew to all That entertain, and bid thee welcome shall, 'What thou shalt keep close, shut up from the rest, And wish what thou shalt shew them may be blest To them for good, and make then choose to be Pilgrims by better far than thee and me.

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Go then, I say, tell all men who thou art,

Say I am Christiana, and my part

Is now with my four sons to tell you what

It is for men to take a pilgrim's lot.

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Go also, tell them who and what they be,

That now do go on pilgrimage with thee;

Say, Here's my neighbour Mercy she is one That hath long time with me a pilgrim gone : • Come, see her in her virgin face, and learn ''Twixt idle ones and pilgrims to discern. 'Yea, let young damsels learn of her to prize The world which is to come in any wise: 'When little tripping maidens follow God, 'And leave old doting sinners to his rod :

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'Tis like those days wherein the young ones cry'd Hosanna, when the old ones did deride.

• Next tell them of old Honest, whom you found
With his white hairs, treading the pilgrim's ground;
Yea, tell him how plain-hearted this man was,
How after his good Lord he bare the cross:
'Perhaps with some grey head this may prevail
• With Christ to fall in love, and sin bewail.

Tell them also, how Master Fearing went
'On pilgrimage, and how the time he spent
In solitariness, with fears and cries;
And how, at last, he won the joyful prize.