The Pilgrim's Progress - Part One
The Author's Apology for His Book | Introduction
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
| 11 | 12 | 13
| 14 | 15 | 16
| 17 | 18 | 19
| 20 | 21 | 22
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26
| 27 | 28 | 29
| 30 | 31 | 32
| 33 | 34 | 35
| Conclusion
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The Trial
Then, a convenient time being appointed, they brought them forth to their trial,
in order to their condemnation. When the time was come, they were brought before
their enemies and arraigned. The judge's name was LORD HATEGOOD. Their indictment
was one and the same in substance, though somewhat varying in form; the contents
thereof was this:
That they were enemies to, and disturbers of, their trade; that they had made commotions
and divisions in the town, and had won a party to their own most dangerous opinions,
in contempt of the law of their prince.
Then FAITHFUL began to answer, that he had only set himself against that which had
set itself against him that is higher than the highest. "And," said he,
"as for disturbance, I make none, being myself a man of peace; the parties that
were won to us, were won by beholding our truth and innocence, and they are only
turned from the worse to the better. And as to the king you talk of, since he is
BEELZEBUB, the enemy of our' Lord, I defy him and all his angels."
Then proclamation was made, that they that had aught to say for their lord the king
against the prisoner at the bar, should forthwith appear and give in their evidence.
So there came in three witnesses: to wit, ENVY, SUPERSTITION, and PICKTHANK. They
were then asked if they knew the prisoner at the bar? and what they had to say for
their lord the king against him?
Envy. Then stood forth ENVY, and said to this effect: "My lord, I have
known this man a long time; and will attest upon my oath before this honourable bench,
that he is---"
Lord Hategood, the Judge. Hold; give him his oath!
So they sware him. Then he said, "My lord, this man, notwithstanding his plausible
name, is one of the vilest men in our country; he neither regards prince nor people,
law nor custom; but doth all that he can to possess all men with certain of his disloyal
notions, which he, in the general, calls principles of faith and holiness. And in
particular, I heard him once myself affirm that Christianity and the customs of our
town of Vanity were diametrically opposite, and could not be reconciled. By which
saying, my lord, he doth at once not only condemn all our laudable doings, but us
in the doing of them."
Judge. Then did the judge say unto him, "Hast thou any more to say?"
Envy. "My lord, I could say much more; only I would not be tedious to
the court. Yet, if need be, when the other gentlemen have given in their evidence,
rather than anything shall be wanting that will dispatch him, I will enlarge my testimony
against him." So he was bidden to stand by.
Then they called SUPERSTITION, and bade him look upon the prisoner; they also asked
what he could say for their lord the king against him? Then they sware him; so he
began:
Superstition. My lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man; nor do
I desire to have further knowledge of him. However, this I know, that he is a very
pestilent fellow, from some discourse that the other day I had with him in this town;
for then, talking with him, I heard him say that our religion was naught, and such
by which a man could by no means please God; which sayings of his, my lord, your
lordship very well knows what necessarily thence will follow: to wit, that we still
do worship in vain; are yet in our sins: and finally shall be damned. And this is
that which I have to say.
Then was PICKTHANK sworn, and bid say what he knew in behalf of their lord the king
against the prisoner at the bar.
Pickthank. My lord, and you gentlemen all, this fellow I have known of a long
time; and have heard him speak things that ought not to be spoken. For he hath railed
on our noble Prince BEELZEBUB; and hath spoken contemptibly of his honourable friends,
whose names are, the Lord OLDMAN; the Lord CARNALDELIGHT; the Lord LUXURIOUS; the
Lord DESIRE OF VAINGLORY; my old Lord LECHERY; Sir HAVING GREEDY; with all the rest
of our nobility: and he hath said moreover, that if all men were of his mind, if
possible, there is not one of these noble men should have any longer a being in this
town. Besides, he hath not been afraid to rail on you, my lord, who are now appointed
to be his judge; calling you an ungodly villain, with many other such like defaming
terms, with which he hath bespattered most of the gentry of our town.
When this PICKTHANK had told his tale, the judge directed his speech to the prisoner
at the bar, saying, "Thou apostate, heretic, and traitor !--hast thou heard
what these honest gentle- men have witnessed against thee?"
Faith. May I speak a few words in my own defence?
Judge. Sirrah, sirrah !--thou deservest to live no longer, but to be slain
immediately upon the place; yet that all men may see our gentleness towards thee,
let us hear what thou, vile apostate, hast to say.
Faith. 1. I say, then, in answer to what Mr. ENVY hath spoken, I never said
aught but this: That what rule, or laws, or customs, or people, were flat against
the Word of God, are diametrically opposite to Christianity. If I have said amiss
in this, convince me of my error; and I am ready here before you to make my recantation.
2. As to the second, to wit, Mr. SUPERSTITION, and his charge against me, I said
only this: That in the worship of God there is required a divine faith; but there
can be no divine faith without a divine revelation of the will of God: therefore
whatever is thrust into the worship of God that is not agreeable to a divine revelation,
cannot be done but by a human faith; which faith will not profit to eternal life.
3. As to what Mr. PICKTHANK hath said, I say--avoiding terms, as that I am said to
rail, and the like--that the prince of this town, with all the rabble--his attendants,
by this gentleman named--are more fit for being in hell than in this town and country;
and so the Lord have mercy upon me!
Then the judge called to the jury--who all this while stood by, to hear and observe,--"
Gentlemen of the jury, you see this man about whom so great an uproar hath been made
in this town; you have also heard what these worthy gentlemen have witnessed against
him; also you have heard his reply and confession: it lieth now in your breasts to
hang him, or save his life; but yet I think meet to instruct you into our law.
"There was an act made in the days of Pharaoh the Great, servant to our prince,
that lest those of a contrary religion should multiply and grow too strong for him,
their males should be thrown into the river.
"And the children of Israel were fruitful,
and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land
was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are
more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply,
and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our
enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore
they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built
for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them,
the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children
of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And
they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all
manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve,
was with rigour. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which
the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said,
When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon
the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a
daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king
of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done
this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh,
Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are
lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt
well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it
came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And Pharaoh
charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river,
and every daughter ye shall save alive."
~ Exodus 1:7-22 ~
There was also an act made in the days of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, another of his
servants, that whoever would not fall down and worship his golden image should be
thrown into a fiery furnace.
"Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of
gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six
cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar
the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the
judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had
set up. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers,
the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered
together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up;
and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried
aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that
time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down
and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore
at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king,
hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and
worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that
he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews
whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his
rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought
these men before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have
set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and
worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall
be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is
that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer
thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand,
O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
~ Daniel 3:1-18 ~
There was also an act made in the days of Darius, that whoso, for some time, called
upon any God but his, should be cast into the lions' den.
"It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom
an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these
three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts
unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above
the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the
king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought
to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none
occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error
or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto
him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors,
and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish
a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of
any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den
of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not
changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore
king Darius signed the writing and the decree."
~ Daniel 6:1-9 ~
Now the substance of these laws this rebel has broken; not only in thought (which
is not to be borne), but also in word and deed, which must therefore needs be intolerable.
"For that of Pharaoh, his law was made upon suspicion to prevent mischief, no
crime yet being apparent; but here is a crime apparent. For the second and third,
you see he disputes against our religion; and for the treason he hath confessed,
he deserves to die the death."
Then went the jury out, whose names were, Mr. BLIND-MAN, Mr. NO-GOOD, Mr. MALICE,
Mr. LOVE-LUST, Mr. LIVE-LOOSE, Mr. HEADY, Mr. HIGH-MIND, Mr. ENMITY, Mr. LIAR, Mr.
CRUELTY, Mr. HATE-LIGHT, and Mr. IMPLACABLE; who everyone gave in his private verdict,
against him among themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to bring him in
guilty before the judge. And first among themselves, Mr. BLIND-MAN the foreman said,
"I see clearly that this man is a heretic." Then said Mr. NO-GOOD, "Away
with such a fellow from the earth!" "Aye," said Mr. MALICE, "for
I hate the very looks of him." Then said Mr. LOVE-LUST, "I could never
endure him." "Nor I," said Mr. LIVE-LOOSE; "for he would always
be condemning my way," "Hang him, hang him !" said Mr. HEADY. "A
sorry scrub," said Mr. HIGH-MIND. "My heart rises against him," said
Mr. ENMITY. "He is a rogue," said Mr. LIAR. "Hanging is too good for
him," said Mr. CRUELTY. "Let us dispatch him out of the way," said
Mr. HATE-LIGHT. Then said Mr. IMPLACABLE, "Might I have all the world given
me, I could not be reconciled to him; therefore let us forthwith bring him in guilty
of death." And so they did; therefore he was presently condemned to be had from
the place where he was to the place from whence he came, and there to be put to the
most cruel death that could be invented.
They therefore brought him out, to do with him according to their law; and first
they scourged him, then they buffeted him, then they lanced his flesh with knives;
after that they stoned him with stones, then pricked him with their swords; and last
of all they burned him to ashes at the stake. Thus came FAITHFUL to his end. Now
I saw that there stood behind the multitude a chariot and a couple of horses waiting
for FAITHFUL, who--so soon as his adversaries had dispatched him --was taken up into
it, and straightway was carried up through the clouds, with sound of trumpet, the
nearest way to the Celestial Gate. But as for CHRISTIAN, he had some respite, and
was remanded back to prison; so he there remained for a space. But he that overrules
all things, having the power of their rage in his own hand, so wrought it about that
CHRISTIAN, for that time, escaped them, and went his way.
And as he went he sang, saying:
"Well, FAITHFUL, thou hast faithfully profest
Unto thy Lord, with whom thou shalt be blest,
When faithless ones, with all their vain delight,
Are crying out under their hellish plight.
Sing, FAITHFUL, sing!--and let thy name survive;
For though they killed thee, thou art yet alive."
Now I saw in my dream that CHRISTIAN went not forth alone; for there was one whose
name was HOPEFUL (being so made by the beholding of CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL, in their
words and behaviour, in their sufferings at the fair), who joined himself unto him;
and entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he would be his companion.
Thus one died to bear testimony to the truth, and another rises out of his ashes
to be a companion with CHRISTIAN in his pilgrimage. This HOPEFUL also told CHRISTIAN
that there were many more of the men in the fair that would take their time and follow
after.
The Pilgrim's Progress - Part One
The Author's Apology for His Book | Introduction
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
| 11 | 12 | 13
| 14 | 15 | 16
| 17 | 18 | 19
| 20 | 21 | 22
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26
| 27 | 28 | 29
| 30 | 31 | 32
| 33 | 34 | 35
| Conclusion
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