message is to tell thee that he expects thee at his table, to sup with him in his kingdom, the next day after Easter; wherefore prepare thyself for this journey. Then he also gave him a token that he was a true messenger, saying, " I have broken thy golden bowl, and loosed thy silver cord."

After this, Mr. Ready-to-halt called for his fellow Pilgrims, and told them, saying, I am sent for, and God shall surely visit you also. So he desired Mr. Valiant to make his will. And because he had nothing to bequeath to them that should survive him, but his crutches and his good wishes, therefore thus he said: These crutches I bequeath to my son that shall tread in my steps, with an hundred warm wishes that he may prove better than I have been.

PROMISES.

HIS WILL.

Then he thanked Mr. Great-heart for his conduct and kindness, and so addressed himself to his journey. When he came to the brink of the River, he said, Now I shall have no more need of these crutches, since yonder are chariots and horses for me to ride on. The last words he was heard to say were, "Wel- HIS LAST come life!" So he went his way.

WORDS.

FEEBLE-MIND
SUMMONED.

After this, Mr. Feeble-mind had tidings brought him, that the Post sounded his horn at his chamber door. Then he came in, and told him, saying, I am come to tell thee that thy Master hath need of thee; and that, in a very little time, thou must behold his face in brightness. And take this as a token of the truth of my message: "Those that look out at the windows shall be darkened."

Then Mr. Feeble-mind called for his friends, and

HE MAKES

told them what errand had been brought unto him, and what token he had received of the truth of the message. Then he said, since I have nothing to bequeath to any, to what purpose should I make a will? As for my feeble-mind, that I will leave beHIS WILL. hind me, for that I shall have no need of in the place whither I go; nor is it worth bestowing upon the poorest Pilgrims; wherefore, when I am gone, I desire that you, Mr. Valiant, would bury it in a dunghill. This done, and the day being come on which he was to depart, he entered the River as the rest. His last

HIS LAST

words were, "Hold out, faith and patience!" WORDS. So he went over to the other side.

When days had many of them passed away, Mr. Despondency was sent for; for a Post was come, and brought this message to him: "Trembling man, these

MR. DESPONDENCY'S
SUMMONS.

are to summon thee to be ready with the King by the next Lord's

day, to shout for joy for thy deliverance from all thy doubtings."

And, said the messenger, that my message is true, take this for a proof; so he gave him " a grasshopper to be a burden unto him."5 Now, Mr. Despondency's HIS DAUGHTER daughter, whose name was Much-afraid,

GOES TO0.

said, when she heard what was done, that she would go with her father. Then Mr. Despondency said to his friends, Myself and my daughter, you know what we have been, and how troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every company; my will and my daughter's is, that our desponds and slavish fears be by no man ever received

HIS WILL.

5 Eccl. xii. 5.

from the day of our departure for ever; for I know that, after my death, they will offer themselves to others. For, to be plain with you, they are ghosts which we entertained when we first began to be Pilgrims, and could never shake them off after; and they will walk about, and seek entertainment of the Pilgrims; but, for our sakes, shut the doors upon them.

When the time was come for them to depart, they went up to the brink of the river. The last words of

Mr. Despondency were, "Farewell night, HIS LAST welcome day!" His daughter went through WORDS. the River singing, but none could understand what she said.

Then it came to pass a while after, that there was a Post in the town that inquired for Mr. Honest. So he came to the house where he was, and delivered to his hand these lines: "Thou art com- MR. HONEST manded to be ready against this day seven- SUMMONED. night, to present thyself before thy Lord at his Father's house." And for a token that my message is true, "All the daughters of music shall be brought low."6 Then Mr. Honest called for his friends, and said unto them, I die, but shall make no will. As for my honesty, it shall with me; let him go that comes after be told of this.

HE MAKES

NO WILL.

When the day that he was to be gone was come, he addressed himself to go over the River. Now the River at that time overflowed its banks in some places; but Mr. Honest, in his lifetime, had spoken to one Good-conscience to meet him there; the which he also 6 Eccl. xii. 4.

GOOD CONSCIENCE
HELPS MR. HONEST
OVER THE RIVER.

did, and lent him his hand, and so helped him over. The last words of Mr. Honest were, "Grace reigns ;" so he left the world.

After this, it was noised abroad that Mr. Valiant-for

MR. VALIANT

FOR-TRUTH

SUMMONED.

HIS WILL.

truth was taken with a summons by the same Post as the other, and had this for a token that the summons was true," That his pitcher was broken at the fountain." When he understood it, he called for his friends, and told them of it. Then said he, I am going to my Father's; and though with great difficulty I have got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am. My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles, who now will be my rewarder. When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the River-side; HIS LAST into which as he went, he said, " Death, WORDS. where is thy sting ?" And as he went down deeper, he said, “ Grave, where is thy victory ?" So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.

MR. STANDFAST
IS SUMMONED.

Then there came forth a summons for Mr. Standfast. This Mr. Standfast was he that the rest of the Pilgrims found upon his knees in the Enchanted Ground. And the Post brought it him open in his hands. The contents thereof were, "That he must prepare for a change of life, for his Master was not willing that he should be so far from him any

7 Eccl. xii. 6.

HIS SPEECH

longer." At this Mr. Standfast was put into a muse. Nay, said the messenger, you need not doubt of the truth of my message, for here is a token of the truth thereof, "Thy wheel is broken at the cistern." Then he called to him Mr. Great-heart, HE CALLS FOR MR. who was their guide, and said unto GREAT-HEART. him, Sir, although it was not my hap to be much in your good company during TO HIM. the days of my Pilgrimage, yet, since the time I knew you, you have been profitable to me. When I came from home, I left behind me a wife and five small children; let me entreat you, at your return, (for I know that you will go and return to your Master's house, in hopes that you may yet be a conductor to more of the holy Pilgrims,) that you send to my family, and let them be acquainted with all that hath and shall happen unto me. Tell them, moreover,

HIS ERRAND TO

of my happy arrival at this place, and HIS FAMILY. of the present and late blessed condition I am in. Tell them also of Christian and Christiana his wife, and how she and her children came after her Husband. Tell them also of what a happy end she made, and whither she is gone. I have little or nothing to send to my family, unless it be prayers and tears for them; of which it will suffice that you acquaint them, if peradventure they may prevail.

When Mr. Standfast had thus set things in order, and the time being come for him to haste him away, he also went down to the River. Now there was a great calm at that time in the River; wherefore Mr. Standfast, when he was about half-way in, stood a

8 Eccl. xii. 6.