The Pilgrim's Progress - Part Two
The Author's Way of Sending Forth His Second Part
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Stories of Christian's Pilgrimage
Thus, therefore, they went on: Mr. GREAT-HEART and Mr. HONEST went before; CHRISTIANA
and her children went next; and Mr. FEEBLE-MIND and Mr. READY-TO-HALT came behind
with his crutches. Then said Mr. HONEST:
Honest. Pray, sir, now we are upon the road, tell us some profitable things
of some that have gone on pilgrimage before us.
Great-heart. With a good will. I suppose you have heard how CHRISTIAN of old
did meet with APOLLYON in the Valley of Humiliation; and also what hard work he had
to go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death? Also, I think you cannot but have
heard how FAITHFUL was put to it with Madame WANTON; with ADAM the first; with one
DISCONTENT; and SHAME --four as deceitful villains as a man can meet with upon the
road.
Honest. Yes, I have heard of all this; but, indeed, good FAITHFUL was hardest
put to it with SHAME; he was an unwearied one.
Great-heart. Aye, for as the pilgrim well said, "He of all men had the
wrong name."
Honest. But pray, sir, where was it that CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL met TALKATIVE?
That same was also a notable one.
Great-heart. He was a confident fool; yet many follow his ways.
Honest. He had like to have beguiled FAITHFUL.
Great-heart. Aye, but CHRISTIAN put him into a way quickly to find him out.
Thus they went on, till they came at the place where EVANGELIST met with CHRISTIAN
and FAITHFUL, and prophesied to them of what should befall them at Vanity Fair.
Great-heart. Then said their guide, "Hereabouts did CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL
meet with EVANGELIST, who prophesied to them of what troubles they should meet with
at Vanity Fair.
Honest. Say you so? I dare say it was a hard chapter that then he did read
unto them!
Great-heart. 'Twas so; but he gave them encouragement withal. But what do
we talk of them? they were a couple of lion-like men; they had set their faces like
flint. Don't you remember how undaunted they were when they stood before the judge?
Honest. Well, FAITHFUL bravely suffered.
Great-heart. So he did; and as brave things came on't; for HOPEFUL and some
others, as the story relates it, were converted by his death.
Honest. Well, but pray go on; for you are well acquainted with things.
Great-heart. Above all that CHRISTIAN met with after he had passed through
Vanity Fair, one BY-ENDS was the arch one.
Honest. BY-ENDS! what was he?
Great-heart. A very arch fellow, a downright hypocrite; one that would be
religious whichever way the world went; but so cunning, that he would be sure neither
to lose nor suffer for it. He had his mode of religion for every fresh occasion;
and his wife was as good at it as he. He would turn and change from opinion to opinion;
yea, and plead for so doing too. But so far as I could learn, he came to an ill end
with his by-ends; nor did I ever hear that any of his children were ever of any esteem
with any that truly feared God.
A Stay in Vanity Fair
Now by this time they were come within sight of the town of Vanity, where Vanity
Fair is kept. So when they saw that they were so near the town, they consulted with
one another how they should pass through the town; and some said one thing, and some
another. At last Mr. GREAT-HEART said, "I have, as you may understand, often
been a conductor of pilgrims through this town; now I am acquainted with one Mr.
MNASON, a Cyprusian by nation, an old disciple, at whose house we may lodge. If you
think good," said he, "we will turn in there."
"Content," said old HONEST; "Content," said CHRISTIANA; 'Content,"
said Mr. FEEBLE-MIND; and so they said all. Now you must think it was eventide by
that they got to the outside of the town; but Mr. GREAT-HEART knew the way to the
old man's house. So thither they came, and he called at the door; and the old man
within knew his tongue so soon as ever he heard it; so he opened, and they all came
in. Then said MNASON their host, "How far have ye come today?" So they
said, 'From the house of GAIUS our friend." "I promise you," said
he, "you have gone a good stitch; you may well be a-weary; sit down." So
they sat down.
Great-heart. Then said their guide, "Come, what cheer, sirs? I daresay
you are welcome to my friend."
Mnason. "I also," said Mr. MNASON, "do bid you welcome; and
whatever you want, do but say, and we will do what we can to get it for you."
Honest. Our great want, awhile since, was harbour and good company; and now
I hope we have both.
Mnason. For harbour, you see what it is; but for good company; that will appear
in the trial.
Great-heart. "Well," said Mr. GREAT-HEART, "will you have the
pilgrims up into their lodging?"
Mnason. "I will," said Mr. MNASON.
So he had them to their respective places; and also showed them a very fair dining
room, where they might be and sup together, until time was come to go to rest.
Now when they were set in their places, and were a little cheery after their journey,
Mr. HONEST asked his landlord if there were any store of good people in the town.
Mnason. We have a few; for indeed they are but a few when compared with them
on the other side.
Honest. But how shall we do to see some of them? for the sight of good men
to them that are going on pilgrimage is like to the appearing of the moon and the
stars to them that are sailing upon the seas.
Mnason. Then Mr. MNASON stamped with his foot; and his daughter GRACE came
up. So he said unto her, "GRACE, go you, tell my friends, Mr. CONTRITE, Mr.
HOLY-MAN, Mr. LOVE-SAINT, Mr. DARE-NOT-LIE, and Mr. PENITENT, that I have a friend
or two at my house that have a mind this evening to see them."
So GRACE went to call them; and they came: and, after salutation made, they sat down
together at the table.
Then said Mr. MNASON, their landlord, "My neighbours, I have, as you see, a
company of strangers come to my house; they are pilgrims, they come from afar, and
are going to Mount Zion. But who," quoth he, "do you think this is ?"
(pointing with his finger to CHRISTIANA.) "It is CHRISTIANA, the wife of CHRISTIAN,
that famous pilgrim who, with FAITHFUL his brother, were so shamefully handled in
our town." At that they stood amazed, saying, "We little thought to see
CHRISTIANA, when GRACE came to call us; wherefore this is a very comfortable surprise."
Then they asked her of her welfare; and if these young men were her husband's sons.
And when she had told them they were, they said, "The King whom you love and
serve make you as your father; and bring you where he is, in peace."
Then Mr. HONEST (when they were all sat down) asked Mr. CONTRITE and the rest, in
what posture their town was at present.
Contrite. You may be sure we are full of hurry in fair time. 'Tis hard keeping
our hearts and spirits in any good order when we are in a cumbered condition. He
that lives in such a place as this, and that has to do with such as we have, has
need of an item to caution him to take heed, every moment of the day.
Honest. But how are your neighbours for quietness?
Contrite. They are much more moderate now than formerly. You know how CHRISTIAN
and FAITHFUL were used at our town; but of late, I say, they have been far more moderate.
I think the blood of FAITHFUL lies with load upon them till now; for since they burned
him, they have been ashamed to burn any more. In those days we were afraid to walk
the streets; but now we can show our heads. Then the name of a professor was odious;
now, especially in some parts of our town (for you know our town is large), religion
is counted honourable.
Then said Mr. CONTRITE to them, "Pray, how fares it with you in your pilgrimage?
how stands the country affected towards you?"
Honest. It happens to us as it happens to wayfaring men: sometimes our way
is clean, sometimes foul; sometimes uphill, sometimes downhill; we are seldom at
a certainty. The wind is not always on our backs; nor is everyone a friend that we
meet with in the way. We have met with some notable rubs already; and what are yet
to come we know not: but, for the most part, we find it true that has been talked
of old--" A good man must suffer trouble."
Contrite. You talk of rubs: what rubs have you met withal?
Honest. Nay, ask Mr. GREAT-HEART, our guide; for he can give the best account
of that.
Great-heart. We have been beset three or four times already: first, CHRISTIANA
and her children were beset with two ruffians, that they feared would have taken
away their lives; we were beset with Giant BLOODY-MAN, Giant MAUL, and Giant SLAY-GOOD;
indeed, we did rather beset the last than were beset of him. And thus it was: after
we had been some time at the house of GAIUS, mine host, and of the whole Church,
we were minded upon a time to take our weapons with us, and so go see if we could
light upon any of those that were enemies to pilgrims; for we heard that there was
a notable one thereabouts. Now GAIUS knew his haunt better than I, because he dwelt
thereabout: so we looked and looked, till at last we discerned the mouth of his cave;
then we were glad, and plucked up our spirits. So we approached up to his den; and
lo, when we came there, he had dragged by mere force into his net this poor man,
Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, and was about to bring him to his end. But when he saw us, supposing,
as we thought, he had had another prey, he left the poor man in his hole, and came
out. So we fell to it full sore, and he lustily laid about him; but in conclusion,
he was brought down to the ground, and his head cut off, and set up by the wayside
for a terror to such as should after practise such ungodliness. That I tell you the
truth, here is the man himself to affirm it, who was as a lamb taken out of the mouth
of the lion.
Feeble-mind. Then said Mr. FEEBLE-MIND, "I found this true to my cost
and comfort: to my cost, when he threatened to pick my bones every moment; and to
my comfort, when I saw Mr. GREAT-HEART and his friends with their weapons approach
so near for my deliverance."
Holy-man. Then said Mr. HOLY-MAN, "There are two things that they have
need to be possessed with that go on pilgrimage --courage and an unspotted life.
If they have not courage, they can never hold on their way; and if their lives be
loose, they will make the very name of a pilgrim stink."
Love-saint. Then said Mr. LOVE-SAINT, "I hope this caution is not needful
amongst you. But truly there are many that go upon the road that rather declare themselves
strangers to pilgrims, than strangers and pilgrims in the earth."
Dare-not-lie. Then said Mr. DARE-NOT-LIE, "'Tis true, they neither have
the pilgrim's weed, nor the pilgrim's courage; they go not uprightly, but all awry
with their feet,--one shoe goes inward, another outward, and their hosen out behind;
there a rag and there a rent, to the disparagement of their Lord."
Penitent. "These things," said Mr. PENITENT, "they ought to
be troubled for; nor are the pilgrims like to have that grace put upon them and their
pilgrims' progress as they desire, until the way is cleared of such spots and blemishes."
Thus they sat talking and spending the time, until supper was set upon the table;
unto which they went and refreshed their weary bodies: so they went to rest. Now
they stayed in this fair a great while, at the house of this Mr. MNASON, who, in
process of time, gave his daughter GRACE unto SAMUEL, CHRISTIANA'S, son, to wife;
and his daughter MARTHA to JOSEPH.
The time, as I said, that they lay here was long (for it was not now as in former
times). Wherefore the pilgrims grew acquainted with many of the good people of the
town, and did them what service they could. MERCY, as she was wont, laboured much
for the poor; wherefore their bellies and backs blessed her, and she was there an
ornament to her profession. And to say the truth for GRACE, PHOEBE, and MARTHA, they
were all of a very good nature, and did much good in their place. They were also
all of them very fruitful; so that CHRISTIAN'S name, as was said before, was like
to live in the world.
While they lay here, there came a monster out of the woods, and slew many of the
people of the town. It would also carry away their children, and teach them to suck
its whelps. Now no man in the town durst so much as face this monster; but all men
fled when they heard of the noise of his coming.
The monster was like unto no one beast upon the earth. Its body was like a dragon;
and it had seven heads and ten horns.
"And there appeared another wonder in heaven;
and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns
upon his heads."
~ Revelation 12:3 ~
It made great havoc of children; and yet it was governed by a woman. This monster
propounded conditions to men; and such men as loved their lives more than their souls
accepted of those conditions. So they came under.
Now this Mr. GREAT-HEART, together with these that came to visit the pilgrims at
Mr. MNASON'S house, entered into a covenant to go and engage this beast, if perhaps
they might deliver the people of this town from the paws and mouths of this so devouring
a serpent.
Then did Mr. GREAT-HEART, Mr. CONTRITE, Mr. HOLYMAN, Mr. DARE-NOT-LIE, and Mr. PENITENT,
with their weapons, go forth to meet him. Now the monster at first was very rampant,
and looked upon these enemies with great disdain; but they so belaboured him, being
sturdy men at arms, that they made him make a retreat; so they came home to Mr. MNASON'S
house again.
The monster, you must know, had his certain seasons to come out in, and to make his
attempts upon the children of the people of the town; also these seasons did these
valiant worthies watch him in, and did still continually assault him: insomuch that,
in process of time, he became not only wounded, but lame; also he had not made that
havoc of the townsmen's children as formerly he has done. And it is verily believed
by some, that this beast will die of his wounds.
This, therefore, made Mr. GREAT-HEART and his fellows of great fame in this town;
so that many of the people that wanted their taste of things, yet had a reverent
esteem and respect for them. Upon this account, therefore, it was that these pilgrims
got not much hurt here. True, there were some of the baser sort, that could see no
more than a mole, nor understand more than a beast; these had no reverence for these
men, nor took they notice of their valour or adventures.
Well, the time grew on that the pilgrims must go on their way; wherefore they prepared
for their journey. They sent for their friends; they conferred with them; they had
some time set apart, therein to commit each other to the protection of their Prince.
There were again those that brought them such things as they had, that were fit for
the weak and strong, for the women and the men; and so laded them with such things
as were necessary.
"Who also honoured us with many honours;
and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary."
~ Acts 28:10 ~
The Pilgrim's Progress - Part Two
The Author's Way of Sending Forth His Second Part
of the Pilgrim | 1 | 2 | 3
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20
| 21 | 22 | 23
| 24 | 25 | 26
Back to Pilgrim's Homepage