One may (I think) say both his laughs & cryes,
May well be guest at by his watry Eyes.
Some things are of that Nature as to make
Ones fancie Checkle while his Heart doth ake,
When Jacob saw his Rachel with the Sheep,
He did at the same time both kiss and weep.
Whereas some say a Cloud is in his Head,
That doth but shew how Wisdom's covered
With its own mantles: And to stir the mind
To a search after what it fain would find,
Things that seem to be hid in words obscure,
Do but the Godly mind the more allure;
To study what those Sayings should contain,
That speak to us in such a Cloudy strain.
I also know, a dark Similitude
Will on the Fancie more it self intrude,
And will stick faster in the Heart and Head,
Than things from Similies not borrowed.
Wherefore, my Book, let no discouragement
Hinder thy travels. Behold, thou art sent
To Friends, not foes to Friends that will give place
To thee, thy Pilgrims, and thy words imbrace.
Besides, what my first Pilgrim left conceal'd,
Thou my brave Second Pilgrim hast reveal'd,
What Christian left lock't up and went his way;
Sweet Christiana opens with her Key.
But some love not the method of your first,
Romance they count it, throw't away as dust,
If I should meet with such, what should I say?
Must I slight them as they slight me, or nay?
My Christiana, if with such thou meet,
By all means in all Loving-wise, them greet;
Render them not reviling for revile:
But if they frown, I prethee on them smile,
Perhaps 'tis Nature, or some ill report
Has made them thus despise, or thus retort.
Some love no Cheese, some love no Fish, & some
Love not their Friends, nor their own House or home;
Some start at Pigg, slight Chicken, love not Fowl,
More than they love a Cuckow or an Owl,
Leave such, my Christiana, to their choice,
And seek those, who to find thee will rejoyce;
By no means strive, but in humble wise,
Present thee to them in thy Pilgrims guise.
Go then, my little Book and shew to all
That entertain, and bid thee welcome shall,
What thou shalt keep close, shut up from the rest,
And wish what thou shalt shew them may be blest
To them for good, may make them chuse to be
Pilgrims, better by far, then thee or me.
Go then, I say, tell all men who thou art,
Say, I am Christiana, and my part
Is now with my four Sons, to tell
It is for men to take a Pilgrims lot;
Go also tell them who, and what they be,
That now do go on Pilgrimage with thee;
Say, here's my neighbour Mercy, she is one,
That has long-time with me a Pilgrim gone;
Come see her in her Virgin Face, and learn
Twixt Idle ones, and Pilgrims to discern.
Yea let young Damsels learn of her to prize,
The World which is to come, in any wise;
When little Tripping Maidens follow God,
And leave old doting Sinners to his Rod;
'Tis like those Days wherein the young ones cry'd
Hosannah to whom old ones did deride.
Next tell them of old Honest, who you found
With his white hairs treading the Pilgrims ground;
Yea, tell them how plain hearted this man was,
How after his good Lord he bare his Cross:
Perhaps with some gray Head this may prevail,
With Christ to fall in Love, and Sin bewail.
Tell them also how Master Fearing went
On Pilgrimage, and how the time he spent
In Solitariness, with Fears and Cries,
And how at last, he won the Joyful Prize.
He was a good man, though much down in Spirit,
He is a good Man, and doth Life inherit.
Tell them of Master Feeblemind also,
Who, not before, but still behind would go;
Show them also how he had like been slain,
And how one Great-Heart did his life regain :
This man was true of Heart, tho weak in grace,
One might true Godliness read in his Face.
Then tell them of Master Ready-to-halt,
A Man with Crutches, but much without fault :
Tell them how Master Feeblemind, and he
Did love, and in Opinions much agree.
And let all know, tho weakness was their chance,
Yet sometimes one could Sing the other Dance.
Forget not Master Valiant-for-the-Truth,
That Man of courage, tho a very Youth.
Tell every one his Spirit was so stout,
No Man could ever make him face about,
And how Great-Heart, and he could not forbear
But put down Doubting Castle, slay Despair.
Overlook not Master Despondency.
Nor Much-a-fraid, his Daughter, tho they lye
Under such Mantles as may make them look
(With some) as if their God had them forsook.
They softly went, but sure, and at the end,
Found that the Lord of Pilgrims was their Friend.
When thou hast told the World of all these things,
Then turn about, my book, and touch these strings,
Which, if but touched will such Musick make,
They'l make a Cripple dance, a Gyant quake.
Those Riddles that lie couch't within thy breast,
Freely propound, expound and for the rest
Of thy mysterious lines, let them remain,
For those whose nimble Fancies shall them gain.
Now may this little Book a blessing be,
To those that love this little Book and me,
And may its buyer have no cause to say,
His Money is but lost or thrown away,
Yea may this Second Pilgrim yield that Fruit,
As may with each good Pilgrims fancie sute,
And may it perswade some that go astray,
To turn their Foot and Heart to the right way.
Is the Hearty Prayer
of the Author
Pilgrims Progress
In the Similitude of a
DREAM.
Ourteous Companions, sometime since, to tell you my Dream that I had of Christian the Pilgrim, and of his dangerous Journey toward the Celestial Countrey was pleasant to me, and profitable to you. I told you then also what I saw concerning his Wife and Children, and how unwilling they were to go with him on Pilgrimage: Insomuch that he was forced to go on his Progress without them, for he durst not run the danger of that destruction which he feared would come by staying with them in the City of Destruction: Wherefore, as I then shewed you, he left them and departed.
Now it hath so happened, thorough the Multiplicity of Business, that I have been much hindred, and kept back from my wonted Travels into those Parts whence he went, and so could not till now obtain an opportunity to make farther enquiry after whom he left behind, that I might give you an account of them. But having had some concerns that way of late, I went down again thitherward. Now, having taken up my Lodgings in a Wood about a mile off the Place, as I slept, I dreamed again.
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