Fourth cause of

the hubbub.

ed.

One chanced mockingly, beholding the carriage of the men, to say unto them, "What will ye buy ?" But they, looking gravely upon him, said, “We buy the truth."* At that there was an occasion taken to despise the men the more; some mocking, some taunting, some speaking reThey are mocked. proachfully, and some calling upon others to smite them. At last, things came to a hubbub and great stir in the Fair, insomuch that all order was confounded. Now was word presently brought to the Great One of the Fair, who quickly came down, and deputed some of his most trusty friends to take those They are examin- men into examination, about whom the Fair was almost overturned. So the Men were brought to examination; and they that sat upon them asked, Whence they came? whither they went? and what they did there in such an They tell who they unusual garb? The Men told them that they were are and whence Pilgrims and Strangers in the World, and that they they came. were going to their own country, which was the Heavenly Jerusalem, and that they had given no occasion to the Men of the Town, nor yet to the merchandisers, thus to abuse them, and to let them in their journey; except it was for that, when one asked them what they would buy, they said they would They are not be "buy the truth."† But they that were appointed to examine them did not believe them to be any other than Bedlams and mad, or else such as came to put all things into They are taken for a confusion in the Fair. Therefore they took them, madmen, and put and beat them, and besmeared them with dirt, and then put them into the cage, that they might be made a spectacle to all the men of the Fair. There, therefore, they lay for some time, and were made the objects of any man's sport, or malice, or revenge, the Great One of the Fair laughing behaviour still at all that befell them. But the Men being patient, and not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing, and giving good words for bad, and kindness for injuries done, some men in the Fair, that were more observing and less prejudiced than the rest, began to check and blame the baser sort for their continual abuses done by them to the Men: they, therefore, in angry manner, let fly at them again, counting them as bad as the Men in the Cage, and telling them that they seemed confederates, and should be made partakers of their misfortunes. The others replied, that, for ought they could see, the Men were quiet and sober, and intended nobody any harm; and that there were many that traded in their Fair that were more

lieved.

in the cage.

Their

in the cage.

being guilty of

worthy to be put into the Cage, yea, and pillory too, than were the Men that they had abused. Thus, after divers words had passed on both sides, (the Men behaving themselves all the while very wisely and soberly before them,) they fell to some They are made the blows among themselves, and did harm one to authors of this dis another. Then were these two poor men brought turbance. before their examiners again, and were charged as the late hubbub that had been in the Fair. So they beat them pitifully, and hanged irons upon them, and led them in chains up and down the Fair, for an example and terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf, or join themselves unto them. and Faithful behaved themselves yet more wisely, the ignominy and shame that was cast upon them with so much meekness and patience, that it won Fair won over to to their side (though but few in comparison of the them.

They are led up and down the Fair in chains, for a ter

ror to others.

But Christian and received

Some men of the

Their adversaries

rest) several of the men in the Fair. This put the other party yet into a greater rage, insomuch that they concluded the death of these two men. Wherefore they threatened that neither cage nor irons should serve their turn, but resolve to kill that they should die for the abuse they had done, and for deluding the men of the Fair.

Then were they remanded to the Cage again, until further order should be taken with them. So they put them in, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

them.

They are again put into the cage, and afterward brought

to trial.

Here, therefore, they called again to mind what they had heard from their faithful friend Evangelist, and were the more confirmed in their way and sufferings by what he told them would happen to them. They also now comforted each other, that whose lot it was to suffer, even he should have the best on 't; therefore each man secretly wished that he might have the preferment; but committing themselves to the all-wise disposal of Him that ruleth all things, with much content they abode in the condition in which they were, until they should be otherwise disposed of.

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 whereof were these:

That they were enemies to and disturbers of Their indictment. the 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.

for himself.

Faithful answers Then Faithful began to answer, That he had only set himelf 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? Then stood forth Envy, and said to this effect: My lord, I have Envy begins. known this man a long time, and will attest upon

oath, before this honourable bench, that he isJudge. 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 regardeth 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.

Of

Then did the Judge say to 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 any thing shall be wanting that will despatch him, I will enlarge my testimony against him. So he was bid stand by.

Superstition follows.

Then they called Superstition, and bid him look upon the prisoner at the bar; they also asked what he could say for their Lord the King against him? Then they sware him; so he began:—

Super. 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 saying 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.

Pickthank's testi

Sins are all Lords,

and great ones.

Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he knew, in behalf of their Lord the King, against the prisoner at the bar. Pick. My Lord, and you gentlemen all, this fellow I have known of a long time, and have mony. 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 Carnal Delight, the Lord Luxurious, the Lord Desire of Vain Glory, my old Lord Letchery, 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 noblemen 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 vilifying 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 runagate, heretic, and traitor, hast thou heard what these honest gentlemen 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 Runagate, hast to say.

Faithful's defence

Faith. 1. I say then, in answer to what Mr. Envy hath spoken, I never said aught but this, of himself. That what rule, or laws, or custom, 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 divine revelation, cannot be done but by a human faith; which faith will not be profitable 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 rabblement his attendants, by this gentleman named, are more fit to be in Hell than in this town and country; and so the Lord have mercy upon me.

The Judge's speech to the jury.

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 in our law.

There was an act made in the days of Pharaoh the Great, ser vant 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.* 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. There was also an act made in the days of Darius, that whoso, for some time, called upon any god but him should be cast into the Lions' den.‡ Now, the substance of these laws this rebel hath 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 a supposition to prevent mischief, no crime being yet apparent; but here is a crime apparent. For the second and third, you see he disputeth against our religion: and, for the treason that he hath already confessed, he deserveth to die the death.

names.

Then went the jury out, whose names were, The jury and their Mr. Blindman, Mr. No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. Highmind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. Implacable; who every one gave in his private verdict against him among themselves, and afterward unanimously concluded to bring him in guilty before the Judge. And first, among themselves, Mr. Blindman, the foreman, said, I see clearly that this man is a heretic. Then

Every one's pri vate verdict.

• Exod. i. † Dan. iii. + Dan. vi.