What fhall.I do, when I at fuch a door
For Pilgrims afk, and they fhall rage the more?

ANS W. E R.

Fright not thyself, my book, fer fuch bugbears
Are nothing else but ground for groundless fears.
My Pilgrim's book has travelled fea and land,
Yet could never come to understand.
That it was flighted, or turn'd out of door
By any kingdom, were they ich or poor.
In France and Flanders, where men kill each oth
My Pilgrim is efteem'd a friend, a brother.
In Holland too, 'tis faid, as I am told,
My Pilgrim is, with fome, worth more than gold.
Highlanders, and wild Irish can agree
My Pilgrim fhou'd familiar with them be.
'Tis in New-England under fuch advance,
Receives there fo much loving countenance,
As to be trimm'd, new cloath'd, and deck'd with gen
That it may fhew its features and its limbs.
Yet more; fo common doth my Pilgrim walk,
That of him thousands daily fing and talk.

If you draw nearer home, it will appear
My Pilgrim knows no ground of fhame or fear;
City and country both will entertain.
With, Welcome, Pilgrim, yea, they can't refrain
From fmiling, if my Pilgrim be but by,
Or fhews his head in any company.
Brave gallants do my Pilgrim hug and love,
Efteem it much,' yea, value it above
Things of a greater bulk; yea, with delight,
Say, my lark's leg is better than a kite,

Young ladies, and young gentlewomen too,
Do no fmall kindness to my Pilgrim fhew;
Their cabinets, their bofoms, and their hearts
My pilgrim has, 'caufe he to them imparts,
His pretty ridales, in fuch wholesome trains,
As yields them profit double to their pains
Of reading; yea, I think I may be bold
To fay, fome prize him far above their gold,

The very children that do walk the freet, f they do but my holy Pilgrim meet, alute him will, wili with him well, and say, de is the only ftripling of the day.

The people that have feen him yet admire What they have heard of him, and yet defire To have his company, and hear him tell Thofe pilgrim ftories which he knows fo well; Yea, fome that did not love him at the first, ut call'd him fool and noddy, fay they must, Tow they have feen and heard him, him commend, ind to thofe whom they love they do him fend. Wherefore, my Second Part, thou need'ft not be fraid to fhew thy head, non can hurt thee That wish but well to him that went before, Cause thou com'ft after with a second store Of things as good, as rich, as profitable, or young, for old, for ftagg'ring, and for ftable.

3.

OBJECTION.

But fome there be that fay, He laughs too loud;
And fome do fay, His head is in a cloud;
Some fay, his words and ftories are so dark,
They know not how, by them, to find his mark.

A N S W E R.

One may (I think) fay, both his laughs and cries May well be gueffed at by his wat'ry eyes. Some things are of that nature, as to make One's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ach; When Jacob faw his Rachel with the sheep, He did at the fame time both kiss and weep. Whereas fome fay, A cloud is on his head, That doth but fhew his wifdom's cover'd With his own mantle, and to ftir the mind To fearch well after what it fain would find : Things that feem to be hid in words obfcure, Do but the godly mind the more allure

H

To

To ftudy what thofe fayings might contain, That fpeak to us in fuch a cloudy train, I alfo know a dark fimilitude Will on a curious fancy more intrude, And will fick fafter in the heart and head, Than things from fimilies not borrowed. Wherefore, my book, let no difcouragement Hinder thy travels: Behold, thou art fent To friends, not foes, to friends that will give place To thee, my pilgrim, and thy words embrace: Befides, what my firft Pilgrim left conceal'd, Thou, my brave fecond Pilgrim, haft reveal'd: What Chriftian left lock'd up, and went his way, Sweet Chrifliana opens with her key.

4.

OBJECT I. ON.

But fome love not the method of your first; Romance they count it, throw't away as duft. If I fhould meet with fuch, what fhould I fay; Muft I flight them as they fight me, or nay?

ANSWER.

My Chriftiana, if with fuch thou meet,
By all means, in all loving-wife them greet;
Render them not reviling for revile?
But if they frown, I prithee on them fmile;
Perhaps 'tis nature, or fome ill report,
Has made them thus despise, or thus retort.

Some love no fish, fome love no cheese, and fome
Love not their friends, nor their own house or home.
Some ftart at pig, flight chicken, love not fowl,
More than they love a cuckow, or an owl,
Leave fuch, my Chriftiana, to their choice,
And feek those who to find thee will rejoice;
By no means ftrive, but, in most humble wife,
Prefent thee to them in thy Pilgrim's guife.

Go then, my little book, and fhew to all That entertain, and bid thee welcome fhall,

What

What thou fhalt keep close that up from the reß, And with what thou shalt (hew them may be bleft "To them for good, and make them chuse to be Pilgrims by better far than thee and me.

Go then, I fay, tell all men who thou art: ay, I am Chriftiana, and my part

now, with my four fons, to tell you what
is for men to take a Pilgrim's lot.

Go alfo, tell them who and what they be;
That now do go on Pilgrimage with thee;
lay, here's my neighbour Mercy, he is one,
That has long time with me a Pilgrim gone
Come, fee her in her virgin face, and learn
Twixt idle ones and Pilgrims to discern.
Yea let young darnfels learn of her to prize
The world which is to come in any wife;
When little tripping maidens follow God,
And leave old dotting finners to his rod,

Tis like thofe days wherein the young ones cry'd,
Hofanna, when the old ones did deride.

Next tell them of old Honeft, whom you found,
With his white hairs treading the Pilgrim's ground:
Yea, tell them how plain hearted this man was;
How after this good Lord he bare the cross:.
Perhaps with fone grey head this. may prevail
With Chrift to fall in love, and fin bewail.
Tell them alfo how Master Fearing went
On Pilgrimage, and how the time he spent
In folitarinefs, with fears and cries,

And how, at laft, he won the joyful prize:
He was a good man, tho' much down in fpirit;
He is a good man and doth life inherit.

Tell them of Mafter Feeble-mind also,
Who not before, but Atill behind would go;
Shew them alfo how he'd like t'have been flin,,
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 Mafter Ready-to-halt,
A man with crutches, but much without fault:

H 2

Tel

Tell them how Mafter Feeble mind and he
Did love, and in opinion much agree:

And let all know, tho' weakness was their chance,
Yet fometimes one would fing, the other dance.
Forget not Mafter Valiant-for-the-Truth,
That man of Courage, though a very youth:
Tell every one his fpirit was fo ftout,

No man could ever make him face about;
And how Great-heart and he could not forbear,
But put down Doubting.Caftle, flew Despair.
Overlook not Mafter Defpondency,

Nor Much-afraid his daughter, tho' they lie
Under fuch mantles as may make them look
(With fome) as if their God had them forfook.
They foftly went, but fure, and at the end
Found that the Lord of Pilgrims was their friend.
When thou haft told the world of all these things,
Then turn about, my book, and touch these ftrings
Which, if but touched, will fuch mufic make,
They'll make a cripple dance, a giant quake.

Thofe riddles that lie couch'd within thy breast
Free propound, expound; and for the reft
Of thy myfterious lines, let them remain
For those whofe nimble fancies shall them gain.

Now may this little book a bleffing be
To those who love this little book and me;
And may its buyer have no cause to say,
His money is but loft, or thrown away;
Yea, may this fecond Pilgrim yield that fruit,
As may with each good Pilgrim's fancy fuit;
And may it fome perfuade, that go aftray,
To turn their feet and hearts to the right way,

Is the hearty Prayer of,

JOHN BUNYAN