What fhall I do, when I at fuch a Door
For Pilgrims afk, and they fhall rage the more?
Fright not thyfelf, my Book, for fuch Bugbears
Are nothing elfe but Ground for Groundless Fears.
My Pilgrim's Book has travelled Sea and Land,
Yet could I never come to understand
That it was flighed 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 eftcem'd a Friend, à Brother,
Holland too, 'tis faid, as I am told,
My Pilgrim is with fome worth more than Gold.
Highlanders and Wild-Irish can agree
My Pilgrim fhould familiar with them be.
'Tis in New-England under fuch Advance,
Receives there fo much loving Countenance,
As to be trim'd, new-cloath'd, and deck'd with Gems
That it may fhew its Features and it's Limbs.
Yet more; fo 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 entertain
With, Welcome, Pilgrim, yea, they can't refrain
From Smiling, if my Pilgrim be but by,
Or fhew his Head in any Company.
Brave Gallants do my Pilgrim bug and love,
Efteem 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 Gentlewomen too,
Do no fmall Kindness to my Pilgrim fhew;
Their Cabinets, their Bofoms, and their Hearts,
My Pilgrim bas, 'cause he to them imparts
His pretty Riddles, in fuch wholefome Strains,
As yields them Profit double to their Pains
Of Reading; yea, I think I may be bold
To fay, fome prize him far above their Gold.
The very Children that do walk the Street,
If they do but my Holy Pilgrim meet,
Salute bim will, will wish him well, and fay,
He is the only Stripling of the Day.
They that have not feen him, yet admire
What they have heard of him, and much defire
To have his Company, and hear him tell
Thofe Pilgrim Stores which he knows fo well.
Yea, fome that did not love him at the first, But call'd him Fool and Noddy, say they must, Now they have feen and heard him, him commend And to thofe whom they love they do him fend.
Wherefore, my Second Part, thou need'ft not be
Afraid to fhew thy Head; none can hurt thee,
That wish but well to him that went before,
'Cause thou com'ft after with a Second Store,
Of Things as good, as rich, as profitable,
For Young, for Old, for Stagg'ring, and for Stable.
But fome there are that fay, He laughs too loud;
And fome do fay, His Head is in a Cloud.
Some fay, His Words and Stories are fo dark,
They know not how by them to find his Mark.
One may (I think) Jay, Both his Laughs and Cries
May well be guefs'd at by his wat'ry Eyes.
Some Things are of that Nature, as to make
One's Fancy checkle, while his Heart doth ach;
When Jacob faw his Rachael with the Sheep,
He did at the fame Time both kifs and weep.
Whereas fome fay, A Cloud is in his Head,
That doth but few bis Wisdom's covered
With his own Mantle, and to ftir the Mind
To fearch well after what it fain would find.
Things that feem to be bid in Words obfcure,
Do but the Godly Mind the more allure,
To study what thoje Sayings fhould contain,
That speak to us in fuch a cloudy Strain.
I alfo know a dark Similitude
Will on the curious Fancy more intrude,
And will stick fafter in the Heart and Head,
Than Things from Similies not borrowed.
Wherefore, My Book, let no Difcouragement Hinder thy Travels: Behold, thou art fent
To Friends, not Foes, to Friends that will give Place To thee, thy Pilgrims, and thy Words embrace.
Befides, what my first Pilgrim left conceal'd, Thou my brave Second Pilgrim, haft reveal'd; What Chriftian left lock'd up, and went his Way, Sweet Chriftiana opens with her Key.
But some love not the Method of your firft; Romance they count it, throw't away as Duft. If I should meet with fuch, What fhall I fay? Muft I flight them as they flight me, or nay?
My Chriftiana, if with fuch thou meet,
By all Means in all loving wife them greet;
Render them not Reviling for Revile;
But if they frown, I prithee on them fmile:
Perhaps 'tis Nature, or fome ill Report,
Has made them thus defpife, or thus retort.
Some love na Fish, fome love no Cheese, and fome
Love not their Friends, nor their own Houfe or Home.
Some Start at Pig, flight Chicken, love not Fowl,
More than they love a Cuckow, or an Owl,
Leave fuch, my Chriftiana, to their Choice,
And feek thofe, who to find thee will rejoice;
By no Means ftrive, but in humble-wife,
Prefent thee to them in thy Pilgrim's "Guife.
Go then, my little Book, and fhew to all That entertain, and bid thee welcome fhall, What thou shalt keep clofe, but up from the reft, And wifh what thou shalt fhew them may be bleft, To them for Good, and make them chufe to be Pilgrims by better far, than thee and me,
Go then, I fay, tell all Men who thou art,
Say, I am Chriftiana, and my Part
Is now my Four Sons to tell you what
It is for Men to take a Pilgrim's Lot.
Go alfo, them who and what they be,
That now do go on Pilgrimage with thee :
Say, Here's my Neighbour Mercy, she is one,
That bas long Time with me a Pilgrim gone :
Come, fee her in her Virgin Face, and learn
'Twixt idle Ones, and Pilgrims, to discern.
Yea, let young Damfels learn of her to prizé
The World which is to come in any wife :
When little tripping Maidens follow God,
And leave old doting Sinners to his Rod ;
'Tis like thofe Days wherein the young ones cry'd
Hofanna, when the old ones did deride.
Next tell them of old Honeft, whom you found
With his white Hairs treading the Pilgrim's Ground,
Yea, tell them how plain hearted this Man was,
How after his good Lord he bare the Cross:
Perhaps with fome grey Head this may prevail
With Chrift to fall in Love, and Sin bewail.
Tell them alfo, how Mafter Fearing went
On Pilgrimage, and how the Time he spent
In Solitarines, with Fears and Cries ;
And bow, at last, he won the Joyful Prize.
He was a good Man, though much down in Spirit g
He is a good Man, and doth Life inherit.
Tell them of Master Feeble-mind also,
Who, not before, but still behind would go;
Shew them alfo how head like t' have been flain,
And how one Great-Heart did his Life regain :
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