The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Every Child Can Read
upon them, and led them in chains up and down the fair, for an example
and terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf, or join
themselves unto them. But Christian and Faithful behaved themselves yet
more wisely, and received the wrongs and shame that were cast upon them
with so much meekness and patience, that it won to their side (though
but few in comparison of the rest) several of the men in the fair. This
put the other party in yet a greater rage, insomuch that they resolved
upon the death of these two men. Wherefore they threatened that neither
cage nor irons should serve their turn, but that they should die for the
abuse they had done, and for deceiving the men of the fair.
[Sidenote: THE PILGRIMS IN STOCKS]
Then were they remanded to the cage again, until further order should be
taken with them. So they put them in, and made their feet fast in the
stocks.
Here, therefore, they called again to mind what they had heard from
their faithful friend Evangelist, and were more confirmed in their way
and sufferings, by what he told them would happen to them. They also now
comforted each other, that whose lot it was to suffer, even he should
have the best of it; therefore each man secretly wished he might have
that privilege. But, committing themselves to the all-wise disposal of
Him that ruleth all things, with much content they abode in the
condition in which they were, until they should be otherwise disposed
of.
[Sidenote: LORD HATE-GOOD]
Then a convenient time being appointed, they brought them forth to their
trial, in order to their being condemned. When the time was come, they
were brought before their enemies, and placed on trial. The judge's name
was Lord Hate-good: the charges against both were one and the same in
substance, though somewhat varying in form; the contents whereof were
this: "That they were enemies to and disturbers of their trade; that
they had made riots and divisions in the town, and had won a party to
their own most dangerous opinions, in contempt of the law of their
prince."
Then Faithful began to answer, that he had only set himself against that
which had set itself against Him that is higher than the highest. "And,"
said he, "as for disturbances, I make none, being myself a man of peace;
the parties that were won to us, were won by beholding our truth and
innocence, and they are only turned from the worse to the better. And,
as to the king you talk of, since he is Beelzebub, the enemy of our
Lord, I defy him and all his angels."
[Sidenote: THE PILGRIMS ON TRIAL]
Then it was made known that they that had aught to say for their lord
the king against the prisoner at the bar should forthwith appear and
give in their evidence. So there came in three witnesses; to wit, Envy,
Superstition, and Pickthank. They were then asked if they knew the
prisoner at the bar, and what they had to say for their lord the king
against him.
Then stood forth Envy, and said to this effect: "My lord, I have known
this man a long time, and will attest upon my oath before this honorable
bench that he is--"
JUDGE. Hold! Give him his oath.
ENVY. So they sware him. Then said he, "My lord, this man,
notwithstanding his name, Faithful is one of the vilest men in our
country. He cares for neither prince nor people, law nor custom, but
doth all that he can to possess all men with certain of his disloyal
notions, which he in the general calls principles of faith and holiness.
And in particular, I heard him once myself affirm that Christianity and
the customs of our town of Vanity were opposite, and could not be
reconciled. By which saying, my lord, he doth at once not only condemn
all our laudable doings, but us in the doing of them."
JUDGE. Then did the judge say to him, "Hast thou any more to say?"
ENVY. My lord, I could say much more, only I would not be tiresome to
the court. Yet, if need be, when the other gentlemen have given in their
evidence, rather than anything shall be wanting that will dispatch him,
I will have more to speak against him. So he was bid stand by.
Then they called Superstition, and bade him look upon the prisoner. They
also asked what he could say for their lord the king against him. Then
they sware him: so he began:
SUPER. My lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man, nor do I
desire to have further knowledge of him. However, this I know, that he
is a very pestilent fellow, from some discourse the other day that I had
with him in this town; for then, talking with him, I heard him say that
our religion was naught, and such by which a man could by no means
please God. Which saying of his, my lord, your lordship very well knows
what necessarily thence will follow; to wit, that we still do worship in
vain, are yet in our sins, and finally shall be destroyed: and this is
that which I have to say.
Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he knew, in behalf of their
lord the king, against the prisoner at the bar.
PICK. My lord, and you gentlemen all, this fellow I have known a long
time, and have heard him speak things that ought not to be spoken, for
he hath railed on our noble prince Beelzebub, and hath spoken
contemptuously of his honorable friends, whose names are, the Lord
Old-man, the Lord Carnal-Delight, the Lord Luxurious, the Lord
Desire-of-Vain-Glory, my old Lord Lust, Sir Having Greedy, with all the
rest of our nobility and he hath said, moreover, that, if all men were
of his mind, if possible there is not one of these noblemen should have
any longer a being in this town. Besides, he has not been afraid to rail
on you, my lord, who are now appointed to be his judge, calling you an
ungodly villain, with many other such-like abusive terms, with which he
hath bespattered most of the gentry of our town.
JUDGE. When this Pickthank had told his tale, the judge directed his
speech to the prisoner at the bar, saying, "Thou runagate, heretic, and
traitor! hast thou heard what these honest gentlemen have witnessed
against thee?"
FAITH. May I speak a few words in my own defense?
JUDGE. Sirrah, sirrah, thou deservest to live no longer, but to be slain
immediately upon the place; yet, that all men may see our gentleness
towards thee, let us hear what thou, vile runagate, hast to say.
FAITH. 1. I say, then, in answer to what Mr. Envy hath spoken, I have
never said aught but this, that what rule, or laws, or custom, or people
were flat against the Word of God, are opposite to Christianity. If I
have said amiss in this, convince me of my error, and I am ready here
before you to take back my words.
2. As to the second, to wit, Mr. Superstition and his charge against me,
I said only this, that in the worship of God there is required true
faith. But there can be no true faith without a knowledge of the will of
God. Therefore, whatever is thrust into the worship of God that is not
agreeable to the word of God will not profit to eternal life.
3. As to what Mr. Pickthank hath said, I say (avoiding terms, as that I
am said to rail, and the like), that the prince of this town, with all
the rabblement his attendants, by this gentleman named, are more fit for
a being in hell than in this town and country. And so the Lord have
mercy upon me!
Then the judge called to the jury (who all this while stood by to hear
and observe), "Gentlemen of the jury, you see this man about whom so
great an uproar hath been made in this town; you have also heard what
these worthy gentlemen have witnessed against him; also you have heard
his reply and confession. It lieth now in your breast to hang him or to
save his life; but yet I think meet to instruct you into our law.
"There was an act made in the days of Pharaoh, the great servant to our
prince, that, lest those of a contrary religion should multiply and grow
too strong for him, their males should be thrown into the river. There
was also an act made in the days of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, another of
his servants, that whoever would not fall down and worship his golden
image should be thrown into a fiery furnace. There was also an act made
in the days of Darius, that whoso for some time called upon any god but
him should be cast into the lions' den. Now, the substance of these laws
this rebel has broken, not only in thought (which is not to be borne,)
but also in word and deed, which must, therefore, needs be intolerable.
You see he disputeth against our religion; and for the reason that he
hath confessed he deserveth to die the death."
[Sidenote: FAITHFUL DIES AT THE STAKE]
Then went the jury out, whose names were Mr. Blind-man, Mr. No-good, Mr.
Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr.
Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. Implacable, who
every one gave in his private voice against him among themselves, and
afterwards unanimously concluded to bring him in guilty before the
Judge. And first among themselves, Mr. Blind-man, the foreman, said, "I
see clearly that this man is a heretic." Then said Mr. No-good, "Away
with such a fellow from the earth!" "Ay," said Mr. Malice, "for I hate
the very look of him." Then said Mr. Love-lust, "I could never endure
him." "Nor I," said Mr. Live-loose; "for he would always be condemning
my way." "Hang him, hang him!" said Mr. Heady. "A sorry scrub," said Mr.
High-mind. "My heart riseth against him," said Mr. Enmity. "He is a
rogue," said Mr. Liar. "Hanging is too good for him," said Mr. Cruelty.
"Let us dispatch him out of the way," said Mr. Hate-light. Then said Mr.
Implacable, "Might I have all the world given to me, I could not be
reconciled to him; therefore let us forthwith bring him in guilty of
death."
And so they did: therefore he was presently condemned to be had from the
place where he was, to the place from whence he came, and there to be
put to the most cruel death that could be invented.
They therefore brought him out, to do with him according to their law;
and first they scourged him, then they buffeted him, then they lanced
his flesh with knives; after that they stoned him with stones, then
pricked him with their swords, and, last of all, they burned him to
ashes at the stake. Thus came Faithful to his end.
Now, I saw that there stood behind the multitude a chariot and a couple
of horses waiting for Faithful, who (so soon as his enemies had slain
him) was taken up into it, and straightway was carried up through the
clouds with sound of trumpet the nearest way to the Celestial Gate. But
as for Christian, he had some delay, and was sent back to prison; so he
there remained for a space. But He who overrules all things, having the
power of their rage in his own hand, so wrought it about that Christian
for that time escaped them, and went his way. And as he went, he sang,
saying,
"Well, Faithful, thou hast faithfully professed
Unto thy Lord, with whom thou shalt be blest,
When faithless ones, with all their vain delights,
Are crying out under their hellish plights.
Sing, Faithful, sing, and let thy name survive;
For though they killed thee, thou art yet alive."
CHAPTER VII.
Now, I saw in my dream, that Christian went forth not alone; for there
was one whose name was Hopeful (being so made by looking upon Christian
and Faithful in their words and behavior in their sufferings at the
fair,) who joined himself unto him, and, entering into a brotherly
pledge told him that he would be his companion. Thus one died to show
faithfulness to the truth, and another rises out of his ashes to be a
companion with Christian in his pilgrimage. This Hopeful also told
Christian that there were many more of the men in the fair that would
take their time and follow after.