Then said Christiana, What is the meaning of this? The guide said, They talk in their sleep. If you strike them, Their endeavour is beat them, or whatsoever else you do to them, they fruitless. will answer you after this fashion; or, as one of them said in old time, when the waves of the sea did beat upon him, and he slept as one upon the mast of a ship: "When I awake, I will seek it again."* You know, when men talk in their sleep, they say any thing; but their words are not governed either by faith or reason. There is an incoherency in their words now, as there was before, betwixt their going on pilgrimage and setting down here. This then is the mischief of it; when heedless ones go on pilgrimage, 't is twenty to one but they are served thus; for this Enchanted Ground is one of the last refuges that the enemy of Pilgrims has; wherefore it is, as you see, placed almost at the end of the way, and so it standeth against us with the more advantage. For when, thinks the enemy, will these fools be so desirous to sit down as when they are weary? and when so like to be weary as when almost at their journey's end? Therefore it is, I say, that the Enchanted Ground is placed so nigh to the land Beulah, and so near the end of their race. Wherefore let Pilgrims look to themselves, lest it happen to them as it has done to these that, as you see, are fallen asleep, and none can awake them.

The light of the

world.

Then the Pilgrims desired with trembling to go forward; only they prayed their guide to strike a light, that they might go the rest of the way by the help of the light of a lantern.† So he struck a light. and they went by the help of that through the rest of this way, though the darkness was very great.

But the children began to be sorely weary; and The children cry they cried out unto him that loveth Pilgrims, to for weariness. make their way more comfortable. So, by that they had gone a little farther, a wind arose that drove away the fog; so the air became more clear.

Yet they were not off (by much) of the Enchanted Ground; only now they could see one another better, and the way wherein they should walk.

Now, when they were almost at the end of this ground, they perceived that a little before them was a solemn noise, as of one that was much concerned. So they went on, and looked before them; and behold they saw, as they thought, a Man upon his knees, with hands and eyes lifted up, and speaking, as they thought, earnestly to one that

* Prov. xxiii. 34, 35. 12 Pet. i. 19.

Standfast upon his knees on the Enchanted Ground.

was above. They drew nigh, but could not tell what he said; so they went softly till he had done. When he had done, he got up, and began to run towards the Celestial City. Then Mr. Greatheart called after him, saying, Soho! friend, let us have your company, if you go, as I suppose you do, to the Celestial City. So the man stopped, and they came up to him. But as soon as Mr. Honest saw him, he said, I know this Man. Then said Mr. Valiant-for-truth, The story of Stand- Prithee, who is it? It is one, said he, that comes from whereabout I dwelt; his name is Stand-fast;

fast.

he is certainly a right good Pilgrim.

and Mr. Honest.

So they came up to one another; and presently Stand-fast said Talk betwixt him to old Honest, Ho! father Honest, are you there? Ay, said he, that I am, as sure as you are there. Right glad I am, said Mr. Standfast, that I have found you on this road. And as glad am I, said the other, that I espied you on your knees. Then Mr. Standfast blushed, and said, But why, did you see me? Yes, that I did, quoth the other; and, with my heart, was glad at the sight. Why, what did you think? said Standfast. Think! said old Honest; what should I think? I thought we had an honest man upon the road; and therefore should have his company by-and-by. If you thought not amiss, said Stand-fast, how happy am I! but, if I be not as I should, 't is I alone must bear it. That is true, said the other; but your fear doth farther confirm me that things are right betwixt the Prince of Pilgrims and your soul; for, he saith "Blessed is the man that feareth always."

They found him at prayer.

Val. Well, but, brother, I pray thee tell us, what was it that was the cause of thy being upon thy Was it for that some special mercy laid oblior how?

knees even now?

gations upon thee,

What it was that

his knees.

Stand-fast. Why, we are, as you see, upon the fetched him upon Enchanted Ground, and, as I was coming along, I was musing with myself of what a dangerous nature the road in this place was, and how many that had come even thus far on pilgrimage had there been stopped, and been destroyed. I thought also of the manner of the death with which this place destroyeth men. Those that die here die of no violent distemper: the death which such die is not grievous to them; for he that goeth away in a sleep begins that journey with desire and pleasure; yea, such acquiesce in the will of that disease.

Then Mr. Honest, interrupting him, said, Did you see the two men asleep in the arbour?

Stand-fast. Ay, ay; I saw Heedless and Too-bold there; and

for aught I know, there they will lie till they rot.* But let me go on with my tale: As I was thus musing, as I said, there was one in very pleasant attire, but old, who presented herself to me, and offered me three things, to wit, her body, her purse, and her bed. Now, the truth is, I was both aweary and sleepy: I am also as poor as a howlet, and that perhaps the witch knew. Well, I repulsed her once and again; but she put by my repulses, and smiled. Then I began to be angry; but she mattered that nothing at all. Then she made offers again, and said, if I would be ruled by her, she would make me great and happy; for, said she, I am the Mistress of the World, and men are made happy by me. Then I asked her name, and she told me it was Madam Madam Bubble; or Bubble. This set me farther from her: but she this vain world. still followed me with enticements. Then I betook me, as you to my knees; and with hands lifted up, and cries, I prayed to him that had said he would help. So, just as you came up, the gentlewoman went her way. Then I continued to give thanks for this my great deliverance; for I verily believe she intended no good, but rather sought to make stop of me in my journey.

saw,

Hon. Without doubt, her designs were bad. But stay, now you talk of her; methinks I either have seen her, or have read some story of her.

Stand-fast. Perhaps you have done both.

Hon. Madam Bubble! is she not a tall, comely dame, something of a swarthy complexion?

Stand-fast. Right; you hit it. She is just such a one.

Hon. Doth she not speak very smoothly, and give you a smile at the end of every sentence?

Stand-fast. You fall right upon it again; for these are her very actions.

Hon. Doth she not wear a great purse by her side? and is not her hand often in it, fingering her money, as if that was her heart's delight?

Stand-fast. 'Tis just so. Had she stood by all this while, you could not more amply have set her forth before me, and have better described her features.

Hon. Then he that drew her picture was a good limner, and he that wrote of her said true.

The world,

Great-heart. This women is a witch; and it is by virtue of her sorceries that this ground is enchanted. Whoever doth lay his head down in her lap, had as good lay it down on that block over which the axe doth hang; and

• Prov. x. 7.

whoever lay their eyes upon her beauty, are counted the enemies of God. This is she that maintaineth in their splendour all those that are the enemies of Pilgrims,* Yea, this is she that hath bought off many a man from a Pilgrim's life. She is a great gossiper: she is always, both she and her daughters, at one Pilgrim's heels or another, now commending and then preferring the excellences of this life. She is a bold and impudent slut; she will talk with any man. She always laugheth poor Pilgrims to scorn, but highly commends the rich. If there be one cunning to get money in a place, she will speak well of him from house to house. She loveth banqueting and feasting mainly well: she is always at one full table or another. She has given it out in some places that she is a goddess; and therefore some do worship her. She has her time and open places of cheating; and she will say, and avow it, that none can show a good comparable to hers. She promiseth to dwell with children's children, if they will but love her, and make much of her. She will cast out of her purse gold like dust in some places, and to some persons. She loves to be sought after, spoken well of, and to lie in the bosoms of men. She is never weary of commending her commodities, and she loves them most that think best of her. She will promise to some crowns and kingdoms, if they will but take her advice; yet many hath she brought to the halter, and ten thousand times more to hell.

Oh! said Stand-fast, what a mercy is it that I did resist her! for whither might she have drawn me!

Great-heart. Whither! nay, none but God knows whither; but, in general, to be sure, she would have drawn thee into " many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."+

'T was she that set Absalom against his father, and Jeroboam against his master. 'T was she that persuaded Judas to sell his Lord, and that prevailed with Demas to forsake the godly Pilgrim's life. None can tell of the mischief that she doth: she makes variance betwixt rulers and subjects, betwixt parents and children, betwixt neighbour and neighbour, betwixt a man and his wife, betwixt a man and himself, betwixt the flesh and the spirit.

Wherefore, good Mr. Standfast, be as your name is ; and, "when you have done all, stand."

At this discourse there was, among the Pilgrims, a mixture of joy and trembling; but at length they broke out and sung:→

* James iv. 4. 1 John ii. 15. † 1 Tim. vi. 9.

What danger is the Pilgrim in,

How many are his foes?

How many ways there are to sin,

No living mortal knows.

Some in the ditch are spoil'd: yea can

Lie tumbling in the mire;

Some, though they shun the frying-pan,

Do leap into the fire.

After this, I beheld until they were come into the land of Beulah, where the sun shineth night and day. Here, because they were weary, they betook themselves a while to rest; and because this country was common for Pilgrims, and because the orchards and vineyards that were here belonged to the King of the Celestial Country, therefore they were licensed to make bold with any of his things. But a little while soon refreshed them here; for the bells did so ring, and the trumpets continually sound so melodiously, that they could not sleep, and yet they received as much refreshing as if they slept their sleep never so soundly. Here also all the noise of them that walked the streets was, "More Pilgrims are come to town." And another would answer, saying, " And so many went over the water, and were let in at the golden gates to-day." They would cry again, "There is now a legion of Shining Ones just come to town, by which we know that there are more Pilgrims upon the road; for here they come to wait for them, and to comfort them after all their sorrow." Then the Pilgrims got up, and walked to and fro: but how were their ears now filled with heavenly noises, and their eyes delighted with celestial visions! In this land they heard nothing, saw nothing, felt nothing, smelt nothing, tasted nothing, that was offensive to their stomach or mind; only, when they tasted of the water of the Death bitter to the river over which they were to go, they thought that flesh, but sweet to tasted a little bitterish to the palate; but it proved the soul. sweeter when it was down.

Death has its ebbings and flowings

In this place there was a record kept of the names of them that had been Pilgrims of old, and a history of all the famous acts that they had done. It was here also much discoursed, how the river to some had had its flowings, and what ebbings it has had while others have over: it has been in a manner dry for some, while it has overflowed its banks for others..

gone

like the tide.

In this place, the children of the town would go into the King's Gardens, and gather nosegays for the Pilgrims, and bring them to them with much affection. Here also grew camphire with spikenard and saffron; calamus, and cinnamon, with all the trees of