Now, about this time, one knocked MR. GREAT-HEART at the door; so the porter opened, COMES Again. and behold, Mr. Great-heart was there: but when he was come in, what joy was there! For it came now afresh again into their minds, how but a while ago he had slain old Grim Bloody-man the giant, and had delivered them from the Lions. HE BRINGS A HIS LORD Then said Mr. Great-heart to Christiana and to Mercy, My Lord has sent each of you a bottle of wine, and also some parched corn, together with a couple of pomegranates; he has also sent the boys some figs and raisins, to refresh you in your way. WITH HIM. Then they addressed themselves to their journey, and Prudence and Piety went along with them. When they came to the gate, Christiana asked the porter, if any of late went by? He said, No; only one some time since, who also told me that of late there had been a great robbery committed on the King's Highway as you go; but, said he, the thieves are taken, and will shortly be tried for their lives. Then Christiana and Mercy were afraid; but Matthew said, Mother, fear nothing as long as Mr. Great-heart is to go with us, and to be our conductor. HER LEAVE OF THE PORTER. Then said Christiana to the porter, CHRISTIANA TAKES Sir, I am much obliged to you for all the kindnesses that you have shewed me since I came hither, and also for that you have been so loving and kind to my children. I know not how to gratify your kindness; wherefore pray, as a token of my respect to you, accept of this small mite. So she put a gold angel in his hand; and THE PORTER'S he made her low obeisance, and said, BLESSING. "Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head want no ointment. Let Mercy live, and not die; and let not her works be few." And to the boys he said, "Do you fly youthful lusts, and follow after godliness with them that are grave and wise; so shall you put gladness into your mother's heart, and obtain praise of all that are sober-minded." So they thanked the porter, and departed. Now I saw, in my dream, that they went forward until they were come to the brow of the hill, where Piety, bethinking herself, cried out, Alas! I have forgot what I intended to bestow upon Christiana and her companions. I will go back and fetch it so she ran and fetched it. While she was gone, Christiana thought she heard, in a grove a little way off on the right hand, a most curious melodious note, with words much like these: Through all my life thy favour is So frankly shew'd to me; That in thy house for evermore My dwelling-place shall be. And, listening still, she thought she heard another answer it, saying, For why? the Lord our God is good; His mercy is for ever sure: His truth at all times firmly stood, So Christiana asked Prudence, Who it was that made those curious notes? They are, said she, our country birds; they sing these notes but seldom, except it be at the spring, when the flowers appear, 4 Cant. ii. 11, 12. and the sun shines warm; and then you may hear them all day long. I often, said she, go out to hear them; we also oft-times keep them tame in our house. They are very fine company for us when we are melancholy; also they make the woods, and groves, and solitary places, places desirous to be in. THEM AT PARTING. By this time Piety was come again; so she said to Christiana, Look here, I have brought PIETY BESTOWETH thee a scheme of all those things that SOMEThing on thou hast seen at our house; upon which thou mayst look when thou findest thyself forgetful, and call those things again to remembrance for thy edification and comfort. Now they began to go down the hill into the Valley of Humiliation. It was a steep hill, and the way was slippery; but they were very careful; so they got down pretty well. When they were down in the Valley, Piety said to Christiana, This is the place where Christian your husband met with that foul fiend Apollyon, and where they had that dreadful fight that they had. I know you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good courage; as long as you have here Mr. Greatheart to be your guide and conductor, we hope you will fare the better. So when these two had committed the Pilgrims unto the conduct of their guide, he went forward, and they went after. MR. GREAT-HEART Then said Mr. Great-heart, We need not be so afraid of this valley, AT THE VALLEY OF for here is nothing to hurt us, unless HUMILIATION. we procure it to ourselves. T is true, Christian did here meet with Apollyon, with whom he also had a sore combat; but that fray was the fruit of those slips that he got in his going down the hill; for they that get slips there must look for combats here. And hence it is that this Valley has got so hard a name; for the common people, when they hear that some frightful thing has befallen such a one in such a place, are of opinion that that place is haunted with some foul Fiend or Evil Spirit; when, alas! it is for the fruit of their own doing, that such things do befal them there. THE REASON WHY This valley of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a place as any the crow flies over; and I am persuaded, if we could hit upon it, we might find, somewhere here abouts, something that might give us an account why Christian was so hardly beset in this place. A PILLAR WITH AN Then said James to his mother, Lo! yonder stands a pillar, and it looks as if something was written thereon: let us go and see what it is. So they INSCRIPTION ON IT. went, and found there written,' Let Christian's slips, before he came hither, and the battles that he met with in this place, be a warning to those that come after.' Lo! said their guide, did not I tell you that there was something hereabouts that would give intimation of the reason why Christian was so hard beset in this place? Then turning himself to Christiana, he said, No disparagement to Christian more than to many others whose hap and lot it was; for it is easier going up than down this hill, and that can be said but of few hills in all these parts of the world. But we will leave the good man; he is at rest; he also had a brave victory over his Enemy: let Him grant, that dwelleth above, that we fare no worse, when we come to be tried, than he! BRAVE PLACE. But we will come again to this Valley THIS VALLey a of Humiliation. It is the best and most fruitful piece of ground in all these parts. It is fat ground, and, as you see, consisteth much in meadows; and if a man was to come here in the summer-time, as we do now, if he knew not any thing before thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see that which would be delightful to him. Behold how green this valley is also how beautified with lilies !5 I have known many labouring men that have got good estates in this Valley of Humiliation.6" For God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble;" THE VALLEY OF for indeed it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some also have wished that the next way to their Father's house were here, that they might be troubled no more with either hills or mountains to go over; but the way is the way, and there's an end. MEN THRIVE IN HUMILIATION, Now, as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his father's sheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a fresh and well-favoured countenance, and as he sat by himself, he sung. Hark, said Mr. Great-heart, to what the shepherd's boy saith! so they hearkened, and he said, 5 He that is down needs fear no fall; He that is low no pride; He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his guide. Song ii. 1. 61 Pet. v. 5. 7 James, iv. 6. |