3 his wife had bidden him. Thefe, faid he, were pilgrims nce as you are, and they trefpaffed in my grounds as you ave done, and when I thought fit I tore them in pieces, ad fo within ten days I will do you. Go, get you down, o your den again and with that he beat them all the way hither; they lay therefore all day on Saturday in a lamentble cafe as before. Now when night was come, and when Irs. Diffidence and her husband, the giant, were got to ed, they began to renew their difcourfe of the prifoners; d withal the old giant wondered that he could neither by is blows nor counfel bring them to an end. And with at his wife replied, I fear, faid fhe, that they live in opes that fome will come to relieve them, or that they ave pick-locks about them, by the means of which they ope to efcape. And fayeft thou fo, my dear, aid the giant, will therefore fearch them in the morning. A key in Chriftian's bosom, called Promife, opens any lock in Doubting Cafile. Well, on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and ontinued in prayer till almoft break of day. Now, a little before it was day, good Chritian, as one half amazed, brake out n this paffionate fpeech, What a fool (quuth e) am I, thus to lie in a stinking duncon, when I may as well walk at liberty! have a key in my bofom, called Promile, that will, I am perfuaded, open any lock Doubting Caftle. Then, faid Hopeful, that's rare news, good brother, pluck it out of thy bofom, and try: Then Chriftian pulled it out of his bofom, and began to try at the dungeon door, whofe belt, as he turned the key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the outward door, that leads into the caftle-yard, and with his key openad that door alfo. After he went to the iron-gate, for that mut he opened too, but that lock went very hard, yet the key did open it; then they thrust open the gate to make their efcape with speed; but that gate, as it opened, made fach a cracking, that it waked giant Defpair, who haftily ing to purfue his prifoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his took him again, fo that he could by no means go after hem. Then they went on, and came to the king's highay, and fo were fafe, because they were out of his jurif dition. F Now Now, when they were gone over the file, they began to contrive with themselves what they fhould do at their file, to prevent thofe that should come after from falling into the bands of giant Despair. So they confent A pillar ereled ed to erect there a pillar, and to engrave upon the file thereof this fentence: "Over this it is the way to Doubing Cattle, by Chriftian. "which is kept by giant Defpair, who defpifeth the king "of the celestial country, and feeks to destroy his holy pilgrims" Many, therefore, that followed after, read what was written, and efcaped the danger. This done, they fung as follows: Out of the way we went, and then we found } They went then, till they came to the The dele&able Delectable mountains, which mountains Mountains. belong to the Lord of that hill, of which we have fpoken before; fo they went up to the mountains to behold the gardens and orchards, the vineyards and foun tains of water, where alfo they drank and washed themfelves, and did freely eat of the vineyards. Now there was, on the tops of thofe mountains, hepherds feeding their flocks, and they flood by the highway fide. The pilgrims therefore went to them, and leaning upon their staves, as is common with weary pilgrims when they ftand to talk with any by the way, they asked whose delectable moun→ tains are thefe, and whofe be the sheep that feed upon them. Shep Thefe mountains are Emmanuel's land, and they are within fight of his city; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for them. Chr. Is this the way to the celestial city? Shep. You are just in the way. Chr. How far is it thither? Shep. Too far for any, but thofe that shall get thither indeed Chr. Is the way safe or dangerous? Shep. Safe for thofe for whom it is to be fafe," but tranfgreffors fhall fall therein." C. Is there in this place any relief for pilgrims, that are weary and faint in the ways ? Shep. The Lord of thefe mountains hath given us charge "not to be forgetful to entertain frangers; theres fore the good of the place is before you. I also faw in my dream, that when the shepherds percei ved they were wayfaring men, they alfo put queftions to them (to which they made anfwer as in other places) as Whence Mountains delectable they now afcend, The Shepherd's welcome them. The names of the fhepheras. Whence came you? and how got you into the way and by what means have you perfevered therein ? For but few of them that begin to come hither do fhew their faces on thele mountains. But when the fhepherds heard their anfwers, being pleafed therewith, they looked very lovingly upon them, and faid, Welcome to the Delectable mountains!" The fhepherds, I fay, whofe names were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful and Sincere, took them by the hand, and had them to their tents, and made them partake of that which was ready at prefent. They faid, moreover, we would that you should tay here awhile to be acquainted with us, and yet more to folace yourselves with the good of the Delectable Mountains. They then told them, that they were content to ftay; fo they went to ref that night, because it was very late. Then I faw in my dream, that in the morning the Thepherds called up Chriftian and Hopeful to walk with them upon the mountains: So they went forth with them* and walked a while, having a pleasant profpect on every fide. Then faid the fhepherds one to another, fhall we thew thefe pilgrims fome wonders! So when they had concluded to do it, they had them firft to the top of an hill, called Error, which was very fleep on the fartheft fide, and bid them look down to the bottom. So Chriftian and Hopeful looked down, and faw at the bottom feveral men dafhed all to pieces by a fall that they had from the top. Then faid Chriftian, What meaneth this? The fhepherds anfwered, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philotus, aș concerning the faith of the refurrection of the body? They anfwered, Yes. Then faid the fhepherds, thofe that you fee dafhed in pieces at the bottom of the mountain are they, and they have continued to this day unburyed (as you fee) for an example to others to take heed how they clamber too high, or how they come too near to the brink of this moun- tain. Then I faw that he had them to the top of another mountain, and the name of that is Caution, and bid them look afar off; which when they did, they perceived, as they thought, feveral men walking up and down among the tombs that were there; and they perceived that the men F3 were |