be that owneth him, doth not keep him out of any Good-wil to me or mine, but with Intent to keep the Pilgrims from coming to me, and that they may be afraid to come and knock at this Gate of Entrance. Sometimes alfo he has broken out, and has worried some that I loved; but I take all at prefent patiently. I alfo give my Pilgrims timely Help, fo that they A Check to the are not delivered up to his Power, to do to carnal Fear of them what his Doggish Nature would prompt the Pilgrims. bim to. But what! my purchased one, I tro, badft thou known never fo much beforehand, thou wouldeft not have been afraid of a Dog.

*

The Beggars that go from Door to Door, will, rather than they will lofe a fuppofed Alms, run the Hazard of the Bawling, Barking, and Biting too of a Dog: And shall a Dog in another Man's Yard, a Dog whofe Barking I turn to the Profit of Pilgrims, keep any from coming to me? I deliver them from the Lions, and my Darling from the Power of the Dag.

Mercy. Then faid Mercy, I confefs my Christians Ignorance: I speak what I understand not; when wije I acknowledge that thou doft all Things enough, acquis

well.

Wisdom of Christ. Then Chriftiana began to talk of the Lord. their Journey, and to enquire after the Part I. p. 36. Way. So he fed them and washed their Feet, and fet them in the Way of his Steps, according as he had dealt with her Hufband before. So I faw in my Dream, that they went on their Way, and the Weather was comfortable to them.

Then

Garden.

Then Chriftiana began to fing, faying,

Blefs'd be the Day that I began
A Pilgrim for to be;
And bleffed alfo be the Man,

That thereunto mov'd me.
'Tis true, 'twas long ere I began
To feek to live for ever:
But now I run fast as I can;
'Tis better late, than never.
Our Tears to Joy, our Fears to Faith,
Are turned as we fee;
That our Beginning (as one faith)

Shews what our End will be.

Now there was on the other Side of the Wall, that fenced in the Way up which Chriftiana and her Companions were to go, a Garden, and that belonged to him, The Devil's whofe was that Barking Dog, of whom Mention was made before. And fome of the Fruit-Trees that grew in the Garden, fhot their Branches upon the Wall; and being mellow, they that found them did gather them up and eat of them to their Hurt. So Chriftiana's Boys, as Boys are apt to do, being pleafed with the Trees, The Children and with the Fruit that did hang thereon, eat of the Ene- did pluck them, and began to eat. Their Mother did alfo chide them for fo doing, but still the Boys went on.

my's Fruit.

Well, faid fhe, my Sons, you tranfgrefs, for that Fruit is none of ours; but fhe did not know that they did belong to the Enemy:

ftiana.

Enemy: I will warrant you, if she had, she would have been ready to die for Fear. But that paffed, and they went on their Way. Now, by that they were gone about two Bows-fhot from the Place that led them into the Way, they espied two very Ill-favoured Ones coming down apace Two Ill-fato meet them. With that Chriftiana, and voured Ones Mercy her Friend, covered themfelves with aault Chritheir Veils, and kept alfo on their Journey The Children alfo went on before; fo that at laft they met together. Then they that came down to meet them, came juft up to the Women, as if they would embrace them; but Chriftiana faid, Stand back, or go peaceably as you should. Yet thefe two, as Men that are deaf, regarded not Chriftiana's Words, but began to them. lay Hands upon them; at that Chriftiana waxed very wroth, and spurned at them with her Feet. Mercy alfo, as well as the could, did what he could to fhift them. Chriftiana again faid to them, Stand backe and be gone, for we have no Money to lofe, being Pilgrims as you fee, and fuch too as live upon the Charity of our Friends.

you,

Ill-Fav. Then faid one of the two Men, we make no Affault upon you for Money, but are come out to tell that if you will but grant one fmall Request which we fhall afk, we will make Women of you for ever.

Chrift. Now Chriftiana imagining what they fhould mean, made Aniwer again, We will neither hear nor regard, nor yield to what you shall afk. We are in bafe, and

cannot

The Pilgrims

ftruggle wit

She cries out.

cannot fay, our Bleffed is of Life and Death: So again the and her Companions made a frefh Effay to go past them: But they Jetted them in their Way.

Ill Fav. And they faid, we intend no Hurt to your Lives, it is another Thing we would have.

Christ. Ay, quoth Chriftiana, you would have us Body and Soul, for I know it is for that you are come; but we will die rather upon the Spot, than to fuffer ourfeives to be brought into fuch Snares, as shall hazard our Well-being hereafter. And with that they both fhrieked out, and Deut. 22. 23, cried, Murder, Murder. And fo put themfelves under thofe Laws that are provided for the Protection of Women. But the Men ftill made their Approach upon them, with Design to prevail against them. They therefore cried out again.

26, 27..

It is good to cry out when we are af faulted.

Now they being, as I faid, not far from the Gate, in at which they came, their Voice was heard from where they were, thither: Wherefore fome of the Houfe came out, and knowing that it was Chriftiana's Tongue, they made hafte to her Relief. But by that they were got within Sight of them, the Women were in a very great Scuffle, the Children alfo ftood crying by. The Reliever Then did he that came in for their Relief call out to the Ruffians, faying, What is that Thing you do? Would you make my Lord's People to tranfgrefs? He alfo attempted to take them, but they did make their Escape over the Wall into the Garden of the Man to whom the Great Dog belonged; fo the Dog became their Protector,

Comes.

Protector. This Reliever then came up Theill Ones fly to the Women, and afked them how they to the Devil did. So they answered, we thank thy for Relief. Prince, pretty well, only we have been fomewhat affrighted; we thank thee alfo, for that thou cameft in to our Help, for otherwife we had been overcome.

I mar- The Reliever

Reliever. So after a few more Words, this Reliever faid, as followeth velled much when you was entertained at the Gate above, being ye know that ye were but weak Women, that you petìtioned not the Lord for a Conductor : Then might you have avoided these Troubles and Dangers; he would have granted

you one.

talks to the

Women.

Chrift. Alas! faid Chriftiana, We were Mark this fo taken with our prefent Bleffing, that Dangers to come were forgotten by us : Befide, who could have thought, that fo near the King's Palace, there should have lurked fuch naughty Ones? Indeed, it had been well for us, had we asked our Lord for one; but fince our Lord knew it would be for our Profit, I wonder he fent not one along with us!

Rel. It is not always neceffary to grant We lofe for Things not asked for, left by fo doing want of afk they become of little Efteem; but when ing the Want of a Thing is felt, it then comes under, in the Eyes of him that feels it: that Eftimate, that properly is it's Due, and fo confequently will be hereafter ufed. Had my Lord granted you a Conductor, you would not neither fo, have bewailed that Overfight of yours, in not asking for one, as now you have Occafion to do.

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