for my

Deftruction, and earncftly defirous to fee that Region of Bliss, humbly made bold to knock at this Gate, which you have been gracioufly pleased to open to me; for which high Favour I return you my humble and hearty Thanks But as I ftood at the Gate, after I had knocked the first Time, I was fhot with thefe Arrows, which you fee fticking in my Flesh, and fear I am mortally wounded, my Spirits fail me, and there is a Mift before my Eyes. And with that he fell at Good-will's Feet, begging him to tell him where he might find one that had Skill to probe his Wounds, and cure him, if not mortal. So Good-will taking. Compaffion on the young Man, 'asked him his Name: My Name, replied the young Man, is Tender-confcience, I was born and bred in the Town of Vain-delights. Then Good-will, having regifter'd the young Man's Name, wrote a Certificate and gave it to him, bidding him deliver it at the next Houfe, which was the Houfe of the Interpreter, withal fhewing him the Way to it, for it was but a little Way off from the Gate: There, fays he, you will find a Remedy for your. Wounds, and fee many glorious Things.

Then I faw in my Dream, that Good-will gave to Tender-confcience a ftrong Crutch made of Lignum-Vita, or the Tree of Life, to reft himself upon, and ease his Feet as he went along, he having nothing before in his Hand, but a weak Twig of Vain-Opinions, which he gather'd from the Tree of Knowledge, growing on the Banks of the Waters of Confufion. This weak Reed was all the Staff that Tender-confcience leaned upon in his Journey,

till

till fuch Time as Good-will, bidding him throw it away, gave him the aforefaid Crutch, which he bid him be fure not to art with, for that it would be of fingular Ufe to him all the Way, and efpecially now he was wounded; for it had a particular Virtue to ftay the Blee ling of Wounds. So Good-will having given Tender-confcience ample Directions to find the Way, bid nim Farewel, and left him to go forward on his Journey.

Then Tender-confcience began to pluck up his Spirits, being much comforted, eas'd, and fupported by the Crutch which Good-will had given him; for no fooner was he in Poffeffion of it, but his Wounds abated in bleeding, and by that Time it grew warm in his Hand, it fent forth a certain odoriferous Perfume, which exceedingly refresh.d his Spirits, and he found himself grow ftronger and ftronger, by the healing Virtue of this wonderful Crutch. Thus travell'd he, till at length he arriv'd at the Houfe of the Interpreter, where knocking at the Door, one prefently open'd it, and asked his Bufinefs, Tender-confcience made anfwer, I would fpeak with the Interpreter, who T underftand is the Mafter of the Houfe: So he called the Interpreter, who came forthwith to Tenderconfcience, and demanded what he would have.

Tender-conf] Sir, faid Tender-confcience, I was recommended to you by one Good-will, who keeps yonder Wicket-gate: For, travelling from the Town where I was born, in the Valley of DeAruction, toward the Region of Life, I came to the Wicket-gate, as I was directed, and as foon as I had knock' there, I was hot with thefe Arrows that

you

you fee now fticking in my Flefh, and when the Gate was open'd, I made my Condition known to Good-will, and told him, I was afraid fome of my Wounds were mortal, defiring him to acquaint me where I might find a Phyfician; fo he recommended me to you, giving me this Certificate of his Hand, and bidding me deliver it to you, affuring me, that in this Place I, fhould find a Remedy for my Wounds, and fee many glorious Things: He likewife gave me this ftrong Crutch, which you fee in my Hand, which has afforded me great Comfort and Affiftance, by refreshing my fainting Spirits, fupporting me in the Way, and putting a Stop to the exceffive Bleeding of my Wounds; but 'tis from you that I hope for the finifhing Cure.

•

Interp.] Welcome, young Man, faid the Inter preter, after he had read the Certificate, come in and partake of the good Things of this Houfe; and before you go away, I hope to fee you whole and found. So he conducted him into a Parlour, and ask'd him feveral Queftions concerning his Coun try, and the Manner of his Life there; to all which Tender confcience gave particular Anfwers; giving him an exact Account of his Education, and how he had spent the Time of his Life till that Day; after which the Interpreter narrowly fearch'd the Wounds which he bad received by the Arrows that Day, and applied a fovereign Balfam to them, whereby Tender confcience became ftraightways whole and found; and the Interpreter caufed the Arrows that he had pulled out of his Body to be laid up fafe, as a Memorial of his narrow Efcape from Death. Then he carried him into the Dining-Room, and

en

entertained him at a rich yet frugal Banquet, feafting him with the beft Reftoratives in the World, for he confider'd that Tender confcience was weak and feeble, and had a tedious Journey to go; therefore he judged it neceffary to treat him with Diet of ftrong Nourishment, that he might be the better enabled to undergo the Hardfhips of Travel in that tirefome Road. I

After the Banquet was over, he carried him into the feveral Apartments of the Houfe, and fhew'd him all the excellent Things which Chri ftian and Chriftiana his Wife, with their Children and Companions had feen in this Place. And when it grew toward the going down of the Sun, he conducted Tender-confciente into the Dining Room, where they took a moderate Repast together, and spent the Refidue of the Evening in profitable Difcourfe; the Interpreter taking that Opportunity to Inform him fully of the Laws and Cuftoms of that Country, and to inftruct him in his Way, with Directions what Company he should keep or avoid, and how he fhould behave himself all along the Road. Then he fhewed him to his Chamber, and left him to his Repofe.

The next Morning, by Break of Day, Tender confcience arofe, and prepared for his Journey; and the Interpreter having perform'd all the good Offices of compleat Hofpitality, told him, he would bear him Company a little Way; which kind Of fer Tender-confcience gladly embrac❜d, both because he was a Stranger altogether in those Parts, and because he was in Love with the Interpreter's good Converfation. So they walked out together, and taking

taking their Way over a large Corn-fiel, through which there lay a Path into the high Road from the Interpreter's Houfe, they came to a Lane, on each Side of which there ftood a Manor-houfe, with Lands belonging to each of them. Then Tenderconfcience took notice that the Grounds of one Farm were all in a flourishing and profperous Condition, a plentiful Crop of Corn, lovely fat Paftures, and those well ftocked with Cattel; the Fences every where ftrong and clofe, and all Things in exceedig good Cafe: Whereas on the other Side, the oppofite Farm lay at Sixes and Sevens (as the old Sying is) fome Part of the Grouud was overgrown with Netties, Briars, and Thorns, and all manner of unprofitable Weeds; the other Part was uncultivated, and lay covered with Stones, the Fences down, and Wild Beafts brouzing up and down on what they could find, all Things lying at Rack and Manger, fo that there was not the leaft Sign of a future Harveft. At which Tender-confcience greatly marvelled, and asked the Interpreter the Reafon, why there was fo great a Difference between the two Farms, which lying fo clofe together, the one was a daily Reproach to the other? To which the Interpreter replied, He that owns the Farm on the Right-hand, which you behold in fo fair and flourifhing a Condition, is the King's Tenant, as likewife is the other, for both the Manors belong to the King of the Country. Now upon a Time, the King taking a Progrefs this Way, and being informed that he had two fair Farms in this Place, un-tenanted, and that for want of looking after, they were both run to Ruin; (for at that Time

they