was gone to bed he told his wife what he had done, to wit, that he had
taken a couple of prisoners, and cast them into his dungeon for
trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her also what he had best to
do further with them. So she asked him what they were, whence they came,
and whither they were bound, and he told her. Then she counselled him,
that when he arose in the morning he should beat them without mercy. So
when he arose, he getteth him a grievous crabtree cudgel, and goes down
into the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them as if
they were dogs, although they never gave him a word of distaste. Then he
falls upon them, and beats them fearfully, in such sort that they were
not able to help themselves, or to turn them upon the floor. This done,
he withdraws and leaves them there to condole their misery, and to mourn
under their distress: so all that day they spent their time in nothing
but sighs and bitter lamentations. The next night she, talking with her
husband further about them, and understanding that they were yet alive,
did advise him to counsel them to make away with themselves. So when
morning was come, he goes to them in a surly manner, as before, and
perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had given them
the day before, he told them, that since they were never like to come
out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an end of
themselves, either with a knife, halter, or poison: for why, said he,
should you choose to live, seeing it is attended with so much
bitterness? But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked
ugly upon them, and rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them
himself, but that he fell into one of his fits--for he sometimes in
sunshiny weather fell into fits--and lost for a time the use of his
hands; wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before to consider what
to do. Then did the prisoners consult between themselves, whether it
were best to take his counsel or no; and thus they began to discourse.
Brother, said Christian, what shall we do? The life that we now live is
miserable. For my part, I know not whether it is best to live thus, or
to die out of hand. My soul chooseth strangling rather than life, and
the grave is more easy for me than this dungeon. Shall we be ruled by
the Giant?
_Hope._ Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and death would be far
more welcome to me than thus forever to abide; but yet let us consider,
the Lord of the country to which we are going hath said, "Thou shalt do
no murder," no, not to another man's person, much more then are we
forbidden to take his counsel to kill ourselves. Besides, he that kills
another, can but commit murder upon his body; but for one to kill
himself, is to kill body and soul at once. And, moreover, my brother,
thou talkest of ease in the grave, but hast thou forgotten the hell
whither for certain the murderers go? for "no murderer hath eternal
life," etc. And let us consider again, that all the law is not in the
hand of Giant Despair; others, so far as I can understand, have been
taken by him as well as we, and yet have escaped out of his hands. Who
knows but that God, who made the world, may cause that Giant Despair may
die; or that at some time or other he may forget to lock us in; or but
he may, in a short time, have another of his fits before us, and he may
lose the use of his limbs? And if ever that should come to pass again,
for my part, I am resolved to pluck up the heart of a man, and to try my
utmost to get from under his hand. I was a fool that I did not try to do
it before. But however, my brother, let us be patient, and endure
awhile; the time may come that may give us a happy release; but let us
not be our own murderers. With these words Hopeful at present did
moderate the mind of his brother; so they continued together in the dark
that day, in their sad and doleful condition.
Well, toward evening the Giant goes down into the dungeon again, to see
if his prisoners had taken his counsel. But when he came there he found
them alive; and truly alive was all; for now, what for want of bread and
water, and by reason of the wounds they received when he beat them, they
could do little but breathe. But I say he found them alive; at which he
fell into a grievous rage, and told them, that seeing they had disobeyed
his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been
born.
At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian fell into a
swoon; but coming a little to himself again, they renewed their
discourse about the Giant's counsel, and whether yet they had best take
it or no. Now Christian again seemed for doing it; but Hopeful made his
second reply as followeth:
My brother, said he, rememberest thou not how valiant thou hast been
heretofore? Apollyon could not crush thee, nor could all that thou didst
hear, or see, or feel, in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. What
hardship, terror, and amazement, hast thou already gone through! and
art thou now nothing but fears? Thou seest that I am in the dungeon with
thee, a far weaker man by nature than thou art. Also this Giant hath
wounded me as well as thee, and also cut off the bread and water from my
mouth, and with thee I mourn without the light. But let us exercise a
little more patience. Remember how thou playedst the man at Vanity Fair,
and wast neither afraid of the chain nor cage, nor yet of bloody death;
wherefore let us--at least to avoid the shame that it becomes not a
Christian to be found in--bear up with patience as well as we can.
Now night being come again, and the Giant and his wife in bed, she asked
him concerning the prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel; to
which he replied, They are sturdy rogues; they choose rather to bear all
hardships than to make away with themselves. Then said she, Take them
into the castle-yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and skulls of
those that thou hast already despatched, and make them believe, ere a
week comes to an end, thou wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done
their fellows before them.
So when the morning was come, the Giant goes to them again, and takes
them into the castle-yard, and shows them as his wife had bidden him.
These, said he, were pilgrims, as you are, once, and they trespassed on
my grounds as you have done; and when I thought fit I tore them in
pieces, and so within ten days I will do you; go, get you down to your
den again. And with that he beat them all the way thither. They lay,
therefore, all day on Saturday in a lamentable case, as before. Now when
night was come, and when Mrs. Diffidence and her husband, the Giant,
were got to bed, they began to renew their discourse of their prisoners;
and withal the old Giant wondered that he could neither by his blows nor
counsel bring them to an end. And with that his wife replied, I fear,
said she, that they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them;
or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of which they hope
to escape. And sayest thou so, my dear? said the Giant; I will therefore
search them in the morning.
Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray, and continued in
prayer till almost break of day.
Now, a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed,
broke out into this passionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I, to
lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a
key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any
lock in Doubting Castle. Then said Hopeful, That's good news; good
brother, pluck it out of thy bosom, and try.
Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the
dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the key, gave back, and the door
flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he
went to the outward door that leads into the castle-yard, and with his
key opened that door also. After that he went to the iron gate, for that
must be opened too, but that lock went desperately hard, yet the key did
open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed;
but that gate as it opened, made such a creaking that it waked Giant
Despair, who hastily rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to
fail; for his fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after
them. Then they went on, and came to the King's highway again, and so
were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction.
Now, when they were gone over the stile, they began to contrive with
themselves what they should do at that stile, to prevent those that
shall come after from falling into the hands of Giant Despair. So they
consented to erect there a pillar, and to engrave upon the side thereof
this sentence: "Over this stile is the way to Doubting Castle, which is
kept by Giant Despair, who despiseth the King of the Celestial Country,
and seeks to destroy, his holy pilgrims." Many, therefore, that followed
after, read what was written, and escaped the danger. This done, they
sang as follows:
Out of the way we went, and then we found
What 'twas to tread upon forbidden ground;
And let them that come after have a care,
Lest they for trespassing, his pris'ners are,
Whose castle's Doubting, and whose name's Despair.
They then went till they came to the Delectable Mountains, which
mountains belong to the Lord of that hill of which we have spoken
before. So they went up to the mountains, to behold the gardens and
orchards, the vineyards and fountains of water; where also they drank
and washed themselves, and did freely eat of the vineyards. Now there
were on the tops of these mountains shepherds feeding their flocks, and
they stood by the highway-side. The pilgrims, therefore, went to them,
and leaning upon their staffs--as is common with weary pilgrims when
they stand to talk with any by the way--they asked, Whose Delectable
Mountains are these, and whose be the sheep that feed upon them?
_Shep._ These mountains are Immanuel's Land, and they are within sight
of his city; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for
them.
_Chr._ Is this the way to the Celestial City?
_Shep._ You are just in your way.
_Chr._ How far is it thither?
_Shep._ Too far for any but those who shall get thither, indeed.
_Chr._ Is the way safe, or dangerous?
_Shep._ Safe for those for whom it is to be safe; but transgressors
shall fall therein.
_Chr._ Is there in this place any relief for pilgrims that are weary and
faint in the way?
_Shep._ The Lord of these mountains hath given us a charge not to be
forgetful to entertain strangers; therefore, the good of the place is
before you.
I saw also in my dream, that when the Shepherds perceived that they
were wayfaring men, they also put questions to them, to which they made
answer as in other places, as, Whence came you? and, How got you into
the way? and, By what means have you persevered therein? for but few of
them that begin to come hither, do show their faces on these mountains.
But when the Shepherds heard their answers, being pleased therewith,
they looked very lovingly upon them, and said, Welcome to the Delectable
Mountains.
The shepherds, I say, whose names were Knowledge, Experience, Watchful,
and Sincere, took them by the hand, and had them to their tents, and
made them partake of what was ready at present. They said, moreover, We
would that you should stay here awhile, to be acquainted with us, and
yet more to solace yourselves with the good of these Delectable
Mountains. They then told them that they were content to stay. So they
went to rest that night, because it was very late.
Then I saw in my dream, that in the morning the Shepherds called up
Christian and Hopeful to walk with them upon the Mountains. So they went
forth with them, and walked awhile, having a pleasant prospect on every
side. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Shall we show these
pilgrims some wonders? So when they had concluded to do it, they had
them first to the top of a hill, called Error, which was very steep on
the furthest side, and bid them look down to the bottom. So Christian
and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all
to pieces by a fall they had from the top. Then said Christian, What
meaneth this? The Shepherds answered, Have you not heard of them that
were made to err, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus, as concerning
the faith of the resurrection of the body? They answered, Yes. Then said
the Shepherds, Those that you see dashed in pieces at the bottom of this
mountain are they; and they have continued to this day unburied, as you
see, for an example to others to take heed how they clamber too high, or
how they come too near the brink of this mountain.
Then I saw that they had them to the top of another mountain, and the
name of that is Caution, and bid them look afar off; which, when they
did, they perceived, as they thought, several men walking up and down
among the tombs that were there; and they perceived that the men were
blind, because they stumbled sometimes upon the tombs, and because they
could not get out from among them. Then said Christian, What means this?
The Shepherds then answered, Did you not see a little below these
mountains a stile that led into a meadow, on the left hand of this way?
They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds, From that stile there goes
a path that leads directly to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant
Despair; and these men, pointing to them among the tombs, came once on
pilgrimage, as you do now, even until they came to that same stile. And
because the right way was rough in that place, they chose to go out of
it into that meadow, and there were taken by Giant Despair, and cast
into Doubting Castle, where, after they had awhile been kept in the
dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes, and led them among those
tombs, where he has left them to wander to this very day, that the
saying of the wise man might be fulfilled, "He that wandereth out of the
way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead." Then
Christian and Hopeful looked one upon another, with tears gushing out,
but yet said nothing to the Shepherds.
Then I saw in my dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place in
a bottom, where was a door on the side of a hill; and they opened the
door, and bid them look in. They looked in, therefore, and saw that
within it was very dark and smoky; they also thought that they heard
there a rumbling noise, as of fire, and a cry of some tormented, and
they smelled the scent of brimstone. Then said Christian, What means
this? The Shepherds told them, This is a by-way to hell, a way that
hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their birthright, with Esau;
such as sell their Master, with Judas; such as blaspheme the gospel,
with Alexander; and that lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira
his wife.
Then said Hopeful to the Shepherds, I perceive that these had on them,
even every one, a show of pilgrimage, as we have now; had they not?
_Shep._ Yes, and held it a long time too.
_Hope._ How far might they go on in pilgrimage in their day, since they,
notwithstanding, were thus miserably cast away?
_Shep._ Some further, and some not so far as these mountains.
Then said the pilgrims one to another, We have need to cry to the Strong
for strength.
_Shep._ Ay, and you will have need to use it, when you have it too.
By this time the pilgrims had a desire to go forward, and the Shepherds
a desire they should; so they walked together toward the end of the
mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Let us here show the
pilgrims the gate of the Celestial City, if they have skill to look
through our perspective-glass. The pilgrims then lovingly accepted the
motion; so they had them to the top of a high hill, called Clear, and
gave them the glass to look.
Then they tried to look; but the remembrance of that last thing that the
Shepherds had shown them made their hands shake, by means of which
impediment they could not look steadily through the glass; yet they
thought they saw something like the gate, and also some of the glory of
the place. Thus they went away and sang:
Thus by the Shepherds secrets are reveal'd
Which from all other men are kept conceal'd:
Come to the Shepherds, then, if you would see
Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be.
When they were about to depart, one of the Shepherds gave them a note of
the way. Another of them bid them beware of the Flatterer. The third bid
them take heed that they sleep not upon Enchanted Ground. And the fourth
bid them God speed.
They went then till they came at a place where they saw a way put itself
into their way, and seeming withal to lie as straight as the way which
they should go; and here they knew not which of the two to take, for
both seemed straight before them; therefore, here they stood still to
consider. And as they were thinking about the way, behold, a man black
of flesh, but covered with a very light robe, vame to them, and asked
them why they stood there. They answered, they were going to the
Celestial City, but knew not which of these ways to take. Follow me,
said the man; it is thither that I am going. So they followed him in the
way that but now came into the road, which by degrees turned, and turned
them so from the city that they desired to go to, that in a little time
their faces were turned from it; yet they followed him. But by and by,
before they were aware, he led them both within the compass of a net, in
which they were both so entangled that they knew not what to do; and
with that the white robe fell off the black man's back. Then they saw
where they were. Wherefore there they lay crying some time, for they
could not get themselves out.
Then said Christian to his fellow, Now do I see myself in an error. Did
not the Shepherds bid us beware of the Flatterer? As is the saying of
the wise man, so we have found it this day: "A man that flattereth his
neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet."
_Hope._ They also gave us a note of directions about the way, for our
more sure finding thereof; but therein we have also forgotten to read,
and not kept ourselves from the paths of the destroyer. Here David was
wiser than we, for, saith he, "Concerning the works of men, by the word
of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Thus they
lay bewailing themselves in the net. At last they espied a Shining One
coming toward them with a whip of small cords in his hand. When he was
come to the place where they were, he asked them whence they came, and
what they did there. They told him that they were poor pilgrims going to
Zion, but were led out of their way by a black man clothed in white, who
bid us, said they, follow him, for he was going thither too. Then said
he with a whip, It Flatterer, a false apostle, that hath transformed
himself into an angel of light. So he rent the net, and let the men out.
Then said he to them, Follow me, that I may set you in your way again.
So he led them back to the way which they had left to follow the
Flatterer. Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie the last night?
They said, With the Shepherds upon the Delectable Mountains. He asked
them if they had not a note of directions for the way. They answered,
Yes. But did you not, said he, when you were at a stand, pluck out and
read your note? They answered, No. He asked them, Why? They said they
forgot. He asked, moreover, if the Shepherds did not bid them beware of
the Flatterer. They answered, Yes; but we did not imagine, said they,
this fine-spoken man had been he.
Then I saw in my dream, that he commanded them to lie down; which when
they did, he chastised them sore, to teach them the good way wherein
they should walk; and as he chastised them, he said, "As many as I love
I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent." This done, he
bids them go on their way, and take good heed to the other directions of
the Shepherds. So they thanked him for all his kindness, and went softly
along the right way, singing:
Come hither, you that walk along the way,
See how the pilgrims fare that go astray:
They catched are in an entangled net,
'Cause they good counsel lightly did forget.
'Tis true they rescued were; but yet, you see,
They're scourg'd to boot: let this your caution be.
Now, after awhile, they perceived afar off one coming softly and alone,
all along the highway to meet them. Then said Christian to his fellow,
Yonder is a man with his back toward Zion, and he is coming to meet us.
_Hope._ I see him; let us take heed to ourselves now lest he should
prove a flatterer also. So he drew nearer and nearer, and at last came
up to them. His name was Atheist, and he asked them whither they were
going.
_Chr._ We are going to the Mount Zion.
Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter.
_Chr._ What's the meaning of your laughter?
_Atheist._ I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are, to take upon
you so tedious a journey, and yet are like to have nothing but your
travel for your pains.
_Chr._ Why man, do you think we shall not be received?
_Atheist._ Received! There is no such place as you dream of in all this
world.
_Chr._ But there is in the world to come.
_Atheist._ When I was at home in my own country, I heard as you now
affirm, and from that hearing went out to see, and have been seeking
this city these twenty years, but find no more of it than I did the
first day I set out.
_Chr._ We have both heard, and believe, that there is such a place to be
found.
_Atheist._ Had not I, when at home, believed, I had not come thus far to
seek; but finding none--and yet I should had there been such a place to
be found, for I have gone to seek it further than you--I am going back
again, and will seek to refresh myself with the things that I then cast
away for hopes of that which I now see is not.
Then said Christian to Hopeful his companion, Is it true which this man
hath said?
_Hope._ Take heed, he is one of the flatterers. Remember what it hath
cost us once already for hearkening to such kind fellows. What? no Mount
Zion? Did we not see from the Delectable Mountains the gate of the city?
Also, are we not now to walk by faith? Let us go on, lest the man with
the whip overtake us again. You should have taught me that lesson, which
I will round you in the ears withal: "Cease, my son, to hear the
instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." I say, my
brother, cease to hear him, and let us believe to the saving of the
soul.
_Chr._ My brother, I did not put the question to thee, for that I
doubted of the truth of our belief myself, but to prove thee, and to
fetch from thee a fruit of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I
know that he is blinded by the god of this world. Let thee and me go on,
knowing that we have belief of the truth, and no lie is of the truth.
_Hope._ Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God. So they turned
away from the man, and he, laughing at them, went his way.
I then saw in my dream that they went on until they came into a certain
country, whose air naturally tended to make one drowsy, if he came a
stranger into it. And here Hopeful began to be very dull, and heavy to
sleep; wherefore he said unto Christian: I do now begin to grow so
drowsy that I can scarcely hold open mine eyes; let us lie down and take
one nap.
By no means, said the other, lest sleeping we never awake more.
_Hope._ Why, my brother? sleep is sweet to the laboring man; we may be
refreshed if we take a nap.
_Chr._ Do you not remember that one of the Shepherds bid us to beware of
the Enchanted Ground? He meant by that, that we should beware of
sleeping: wherefore, "let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch
and be sober."
_Hope._ I acknowledge myself in a fault; and had I been here alone, I
had by sleeping run the danger of death. I see it is true that the wise
man saith, "Two are better than one." Hitherto hath thy company been my
mercy; and thou shalt have a good reward for thy labor.
Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsiness in this place, let us
fall into good discourse.
With all my heart, said the other.
Now I saw in my dream, that the pilgrims were got over the Enchanted
Ground, and entering into the country of Beulah; whose air was very
sweet and pleasant; the way lying directly through it, they solaced
themselves there for a season. Yea, here they heard continually the
singing of birds, and saw every day the flowers appear in the earth, and
heard the voice of the turtle in the land. In this country the sun
shineth night and day; wherefore this was beyond the Valley of the
Shadow of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair; neither
could they from this place so much as see Doubting Castle. Here they
were within sight of the city they were going to; also here met them
some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land the Shining Ones
commonly walked, because it was upon the borders of heaven. In this land
also the contract between the Bride and the Bridegroom was renewed; yea,
here, "as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so doth their God
rejoice over them." Here they had no want of corn and wine; for in this
place they met with abundance of what they had sought for in all their
pilgrimages. Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices,
saying, "Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh!
Behold, His reward is with him!" Here all the inhabitants of the
country called them "the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord, sought
out," etc.