Nay, said Christiana, if they were such, they shall never be bewailed by me. They have but what they deserve: and I think it is well that they stand so near the highway, that others may see and take warning. But had it not been well, if their crimes had been engraven in some plate of iron or brass, and left here, where they did their mischiefs, for a caution to other bad men?

Great-heart. So it is, as you may well perceive, if you will go a little to the wall.

Mercy. No, no, let them hang, and their names rot, and their crimes live for ever against them. I think it a high favour that they were hanged afore we came hither; who knows else what they might have done to such poor women as we are!

Then she turned it into a song, saying,

Now then, you three, hang there, and be a sign
To all that shall against the truth combine;

And let him that comes after fear this end,

If unto Pilgrims he is not a friend.

And thou, my soul, of all such men beware,
That unto holiness opposers are.

Thus they went on, till they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty, where again the good Mr. Great-heart took an occasion to tell them of what happened there when Christian himself went by. So he had them first to the spring: Lo! saith he, this is the spring that Christian drank of before he went up this hill, and then it was clear and good; but now it is dirty with the feet of some that are not desirous that Pilgrims here should quench their thirst. Thereat Mercy said, And why so envious, trow? But, said

'TIS DIFFICULT
GETTING OF GOOD
DOCTRINE IN ER-
RONEOUS TIMES.

their Guide, it will do if taken up, and put into a vessel that is sweet and good; for then the dirt will sink to the bottom, and the water come out by itself more clear. Thus, therefore, Christiana and her companions were compelled to do. They took it up, and put it into an earthen pot, and so let it stand till the dirt was gone to the bottom, and then they drank thereof.

Next he shewed them the two by-ways that were at the foot of the hill, where Formality and Hypocrisy lost themselves; and, said he, these are dangerous paths. Two were here cast away when Christian came by. And although, as you see, these ways are since stopped up with chains, posts, and a ditch, yet there NOT KEEP ALL FROM

THE PATHS, THOUGH
BARRED UP, WILL

GOING IN THEM.

are those that will choose to adventure here, rather than take the pains to go up this hill.

Chr. "The way of transgressors is hard." It is a wonder that they can get into these ways without danger of breaking their necks.

Great-heart. They will venture; yea, if at any time. any of the King's servants doth happen to see them, and doth call upon them, and tell them that they are in the wrong way, and do bid them beware of the danger, then they will railingly return them answer, and say, "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the King, we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouths." Nay, if you look a little farther, you shall see that these ways are made cautionary

9 Prov. xiii. 15.

1 Jer. xliv. 16, 17.

enough, not only by these posts, and ditch, and chain, but also by being hedged up; yet they will choose to go there.

THE REASON WHY
SOME DO CHOOSE

TO GO IN BY-WAYS.

Chr. They are idle, they love not to take pains; up-hill way is unpleasant to them. So it is fulfilled unto them, as it is written, " The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns." Yea, they will rather choose to walk upon a snare than to go up this hill, and the rest of this way to the City.

THE HILL PUTS THE
PILGRIMS TO IT.

Then they set forward, and began to go up the hill; and up the hill they went; but, before they got to the top, Christiana began to pant, and said, I dare say this is a breathing hill : no marvel if they that love their ease more than their souls choose to themselves a smoother way. Then said Mercy, I must sit down; also the least of the children began to cry. Come, come, said Greatheart, sit not down here, for a little above is the Prince's arbour. Then took he the little boy by the hand, and led him up thereto.

THEY SIT IN
THE ARBOUR.

When they were come to the arbour, they were very willing to sit down, for they were all in a pelting heat. Then said Mercy, "How sweet is rest to them that labour !" And how good is the Prince of Pilgrims to provide such resting-places for them! Of this arbour I have heard much; but I never saw it before. But here let us beware of sleeping; for, as I have heard, it cost poor Christian dear.

Then said Mr. Great-heart to the little ones, Come,

What think you now

my pretty boys, how do you do?
of going on pilgrimage? Sir, said the
least, I was almost beat out of heart;
but I thank you for lending me a hand
at my need. And I remember now

THE LITTLE BOYS

ANSWER TO the
GUIDE, AND ALSO

TO MERCY.

what my mother hath told me, namely, that the way to Heaven is as a ladder, and the way to Hell is down a hill. But I had rather go up the ladder to Life, than down the hill to Death.

Then said Mercy, but the proverb is, “To go down the hill is easy." But James said, (for that was his name,) The day is coming, when, in my opinion, going down the hill will be the hardest of all. 'Tis a good boy, said his master; thou hast given her a right answer. Then Mercy smiled; but the little boy did. blush.

Come, said Christiana, will you eat

THEY REFRESH

THEMSELVES.

a bit, a little to sweeten your mouths, while you sit here to rest your legs? for I have here a piece of pomegranate, which Mr. Interpreter put into my hand just when I came out of his door; he gave me also a piece of an honeycomb, and a little bottle of spirits. I thought he gave you something, said Mercy, because he called you aside. Yes, so he did, said the other; but, said Christiana, it shall be still as I said it should, when at first we came from home: thou shalt be a sharer in all the good that I have, because thou so willingly didst become my companion. Then she gave to them, and they did eat, both Mercy and the boys. And, said Christiana to Mr. Great-heart, Sir, will you do as we? But he answered, You are going on pilgrimage, and presently I shall return; much good

you

may what have do to you! at home I eat the same. every day. Now, when they had eaten and drank, and had chatted a little longer, their Guide said to them, The day wears away; if you think good, let us prepare to be going. So they got up to go, and the little boys went before: but Christiana forGETS HER BOTTLE got to take her bottle of spirits with her; so she sent her little boy back to

CHRISTIANA FOR

OF SPIRITS.

think this is a losing Roll; and here ChrisSir, what is the cause

fetch it. Then said Mercy, I place. Here Christian lost his tiana left her bottle behind her. of this? So their Guide made answer, and said, The cause is sleep, or forgetfulness: some sleep when they should keep awake, and some forget when they should remember and this is the very cause why often, at the resting-places, some Pilgrims, in some things, come off losers. Pilgrims should watch, and remember what they have already received under their greatest enjoyments; but, for want of doing so, ofttimes their

MARK THIS.

rejoicing ends in tears, and their sunshine in a cloud; witness the story of Christian at this place.

When they were come to the place where Mistrust and Timorous met Christian to persuade him to go back for fear of the Lions, they perceived as it were a stage, and before it, towards the road, a broad plate, with a copy of verses written thereon, and underneath, the reason of raising up that stage in that place rendered. The verses were these:

Let him that sees this stage, take heed

Unto his heart and tongue;

Lest, if he do not, here he speed

As some have long agone.