Christiana and her sons

courteous companions,

Some time since, to tell you my dream that I had of Christian the pilgrim,

and of his dangerous journey towards the Celestial country, 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 showed you, he

left them and departed.

Now it hath so happened, through the multiplicity of business, that I have

been much hindered and kept back from my wonted travels into those parts

whence he went, and so could not, till now, obtain an opportunity to make

further inquiry after those 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 lodging in a wood about a mile

off the place, as I slept, I dreamed again.

And as I was in my dream, behold, an aged gentleman came by where I lay;

and, because he was to go some part of the way that I was traveling,

methought I got up and went with him. So, as we walked, and as travelers

usually do, I was as if we fell into a discourse; and our talk happened to

be about Christian and his travels; for thus I began with the old man:

Sir, said I, what town is that there below, that lieth on the left hand of

our way?

Then said Mr. Sagacity, (for that was his name,) It is the City of

Destruction, a populous place, but possessed with a very ill-conditioned and

idle sort of people.

I thought that was that city, quoth I; I went once myself through that town;

and therefore know that this report you give of it is true.

MR. SAGACITY: Too true! I wish I could speak truth in speaking better of

them that dwell therein.

Well, sir, quoth I, then I perceive you to be a well-meaning man, and so one

that takes pleasure to hear and tell of that which is good. Pray, did you

never hear what happened to a man some time ago of this town, (whose name

was Christian,) that went on a pilgrimage up towards the higher regions?

MR. SAGACITY: Hear of him! Aye, and I also heard of the molestations,

troubles, wars, captivities, cries, groans, frights, and fears, that he met

with and had on his journey. Besides, I must tell you, all our country rings

of him; there are but few houses that have heard of him and his doings, but

have sought after and got the records of his pilgrimage; yea, I think I may

say that his hazardous journey has got many well-wishers to his ways; for,

though when he was here he was fool in every man’s mouth, yet now he is gone

he is highly commended of all. For ‘tis said he lives bravely where he is:

yea, many of them that are resolved never to run his hazards, yet have their

mouths water at his gains.

They may, quoth I, well think, if they think any thing that is true, that he

liveth well where he is; for he now lives at, and in the fountain of life,

and has what he has without labor and sorrow, for there is no grief mixed

therewith. But, pray what talk have the people about him?

MR. SAGACITY: Talk! the people talk strangely about him: some say that he

now walks in white, Rev. 3:4; that he has a chain of gold about his neck;

that he has a crown of gold, beset with pearls, upon his head: others say,

that the shining ones, who sometimes showed themselves to him in his

journey, are become his companions, and that he is as familiar with them

where he is, as here one neighbor is with another. Besides, it is

confidently affirmed concerning him, that the King of the place where he is

has bestowed upon him already a very rich and pleasant dwelling at court,

and that he every day eateth and drinketh, and walketh and talketh with him,

and receiveth of the smiles and favors of him that is Judge of all there.

Zech. 3:7; Luke 14:14,15. Moreover, it is expected of some, that his Prince,

the Lord of that country, will shortly come into these parts, and will know

the reason, if they can give any, why his neighbors set so little by him,

and had him so much in derision, when they perceived that he would be a

pilgrim. Jude, 14,15.

For they say, that now he is so in the affections of his Prince, that his

Sovereign is so much concerned with the indignities that were cast upon

Christian when he became a pilgrim, that he will look upon all as if done

unto himself, Luke 10:16; and no marvel, for it was for the love that he had

to his Prince that he ventured as he did.

I dare say, quoth I; I am glad on’t; I am glad for the poor man’s sake, for

that now he has rest from his labor, and for that he now reapeth the benefit

of his tears with joy; and for that he has got beyond the gun-shot of his

enemies, and is out of the reach of them that hate him. Rev. 14:13; Psa.

126:5,6. I also am glad for that a rumor of these things is noised abroad in

this country; who can tell but that it may work some good effect on some

that are left behind? But pray, sir, while it is fresh in my mind, do you

hear anything of his wife and children? Poor hearts! I wonder in my mind

what they do.

MR. SAGACITY: Who? Christiana and her sons? They are like to do as well as

Christian did himself; for though they all played the fool at first, and

would by no means be persuaded by either the tears or entreaties of

Christian, yet second thoughts have wrought wonderfully with them: so they

have packed up, and are also gone after him.

Better and better, quoth I: but, what! wife and children, and all?

MR. SAGACITY: It is true: I can give you an account of the matter, for I was

upon the spot at the instant, and was thoroughly acquainted with the whole

affair.

Then, said I, a man, it seems, may report it for a truth.

MR. SAGACITY: You need not fear to affirm it: I mean, that they are all gone

on pilgrimage, both the good woman and her four boys. And being we are, as I

perceive, going some considerable way together, I will give you an account

of the whole matter.

This Christiana, (for that was her name from the day that she with her

children betook themselves to a pilgrim’s life,) after her husband was gone

over the river, and she could hear of him no more, her thoughts began to

work in her mind. First, for that she had lost her husband, and for that the

loving bond of that relation was utterly broken betwixt them. For you know,

said he to me, nature can do no less but entertain the living with many a

heavy cogitation, in the remembrance of the loss of loving relations. This,

therefore, of her husband did cost her many a tear. But this was not all;

for Christiana did also begin to consider with herself, whether her

unbecoming behavior towards her husband was not one cause that she saw him

no more, and that in such sort he was taken away from her. And upon this

came into her mind, by swarms, all her unkind, unnatural, and ungodly

carriage to her dear friend; which also clogged her conscience, and did load

her with guilt. She was, moreover, much broken with recalling to remembrance

the restless groans, brinish tears, and self-bemoanings of her husband, and

how she did harden her heart against all his entreaties and loving

persuasions of her and her sons to go with him; yea, there was not any thing

that Christian either said to her, or did before her, all the while that his

burden did hang on his back, but it returned upon her like a flash of

lightning, and rent the caul of her heart in sunder; especially that bitter

outcry of his, “What shall I do to be saved?” did ring in her ears most

dolefully.

Then said she to her children, Sons, we are all undone. I have sinned away

your father, and he is gone: he would have had us with him, but I would not

go myself: I also have hindered you of life. With that the boys fell into

tears, and cried out to go after their father. Oh, said Christiana, that it

had been but our lot to go with him! then had it fared well with us, beyond

what it is like to do now. For, though I formerly foolishly imagined,

concerning the troubles of your father, that they proceeded of a foolish

fancy that he had, or for that he was overrun with melancholy humors; yet

now it will not out of my mind, but that they sprang from another cause; to

wit, for that the light of life was given him, James 1:23-25; John 8:12; by

the help of which, as I perceive, he has escaped the snares of death. Prov.

14:27. Then they all wept again, and cried out, Oh, woe worth the day!

The next night Christiana had a dream; and, behold, she saw as if a broad

parchment was opened before her, in which were recorded the sum of her ways;

and the crimes, as she thought looked very black upon her. Then she cried

out aloud in her sleep, “Lord, have mercy upon me a sinner!” Luke 18:13; and

the little children heard her.

After this she thought she saw two very ill-favored ones standing by her

bedside, and saying, What shall we do with this woman? for she cries out for

mercy, waking and sleeping: if she be suffered to go on as she begins, we

shall lose her as we have lost her husband. Wherefore we must, by one way or

other, seek to take her off from the thoughts of what shall be hereafter,

else all the world cannot help but she will become a pilgrim.

Now she awoke in a great sweat, also a trembling was upon her: but after a

while she fell to sleeping again. And then she thought she saw Christian,

her husband, in a place of bliss among many immortals, with a harp in his

hand, standing and playing upon it before One that sat on a throne with a

rainbow about his head. She saw also, as if he bowed his head with his face

to the paved work that was under his Prince’s feet, saying, “I heartily

thank my Lord and King for bringing me into this place.” Then shouted a

company of them that stood round about, and harped with their harps; but no

man living could tell what they said but Christian and his companions.

Next morning, when she was up, had prayed to God, and talked with her

children a while, one knocked hard at the door; to whom she spake out,

saying, “If thou comest in God’s name, come in.” So he said, “Amen;” and

opened the door, and saluted her with, “Peace be to this house.” The which

when he had done, he said, “Christiana, knowest thou wherefore I am come?”

Then she blushed and trembled; also her heart began to wax warm with desires

to know from whence he came, and what was his errand to her. So he said unto

her, “My name is Secret; I dwell with those that are on high. It is talked

of where I dwell as if thou hadst a desire to go thither: also there is a

report that thou art

aware of the evil thou hast formerly done to thy husband, in hardening of

thy heart against his way, and in keeping of these babes in their ignorance.

Christiana, the Merciful One has sent me to tell thee, that he is a God

ready to forgive, and that he taketh delight to multiply the pardon of

offences. He also would have thee to know, that he inviteth thee to come

into his presence, to his table, and that he will feed thee with the fat of

his house, and with the heritage of Jacob thy father.

“There is Christian, thy husband that was, with legions more, his

companions, ever beholding that face that doth minister life to beholders;

and they will all be glad when they shall hear the sound of thy feet step

over thy Father’s threshold.”

Christiana at this was greatly abashed in herself, and bowed her head to the

ground. This visitor proceeded, and said, “Christiana, here is also a letter

for thee, which I have brought from thy husband’s King.” So she took it, and

opened it, but it smelt after the manner of the best perfume. Song 1:3. Also

it was written in letters of gold. The contents of the letter were these,

That the King would have her to do as did Christian her husband; for that

was the way to come to his city, and to dwell in his presence with joy for

ever. At this the good woman was quite overcome; so she cried out to her

visitor, Sir, will you carry me and my children with you, that we also may

go and worship the King?

Then said the visitor, Christiana, the bitter is before the sweet. Thou must

through troubles, as did he that went before thee, enter this Celestial

City. Wherefore I advise thee to do as did Christian thy husband: go to the

Wicket-gate yonder, over the plain, for that stands at the head of the way

up which thou must go; and I wish thee all good speed. Also I advise that

thou put this letter in thy bosom, that thou read therein to thyself and to

thy children until you have got it by heart; for it is one of the songs that

thou must sing while thou art in this house of thy pilgrimage, Psalm 119:54;

also this thou must deliver in at the further gate.

Now I saw in my dream, that this old gentleman, as he told me the story, did

himself seem to be greatly affected therewith. He moreover proceeded, and

said, So Christiana called her sons together, and began thus to address

herself unto them: “My sons, I have, as you may perceive, been of late under

much exercise in my soul about the death of your father: not for that I

doubt at all of his happiness, for I am satisfied now that he is well. I

have also been much affected with the thoughts of my own state and yours,

which I verily believe is by nature miserable. My carriage also to your

father in his distress is a great load to my conscience; for I hardened both

mine own heart and yours against him, and refused to go with him on

pilgrimage.

The thoughts of these things would now kill me outright, but that for a

dream which I had last night, and but that for the encouragement which this

stranger has given me this morning. Come, my children, let us pack up, and

begone to the gate that leads to the Celestial country, that we may see your

father, and be with him and his companions in peace, according to the laws

of that land.

Then did her children burst out into tears, for joy that the heart of their

mother was so inclined. So their visitor bid them farewell; and they began

to prepare to set out for their journey.

But while they were thus about to be gone, two of the women that were

Christiana’s neighbors came up to her house, and knocked at her door. To

whom she said as before, If you come in God’s name, come in. At this the

women were stunned; for this kind of language they used not to hear, or to

perceive to drop from the lips of Christiana. Yet they came in: but behold,

they found the good woman preparing to be gone from her house.

So they began, and said, Neighbor, pray what is your meaning by this?

Christiana answered, and said to the eldest of them, whose name was Mrs.

Timorous, I am preparing for a journey.

This Timorous was daughter to him that met Christian upon the Hill of

Difficulty, and would have had him go back for fear of the lions.

TIMOROUS: For what journey, I pray you?

CHRISTIANA: Even to go after my good husband. And with that she fell a

weeping.

TIMOROUS: I hope not so, good neighbor; pray, for your poor children’s sake,

do not so unwomanly cast away yourself.

CHRISTIANA: Nay, my children shall go with me; not one of them is willing to

stay behind.

TIMOROUS: I wonder in my very heart what or who has brought you into this

mind!

CHRISTIANA: O neighbor, knew you but as much as I do, I doubt not but that

you would go along with me.

TIMOROUS: Prithee, what new knowledge hast thou got, that so worketh off thy

mind from thy friends, and that tempteth thee to go nobody knows where?

CHRISTIANA: Then Christiana replied, I have been sorely afflicted since my

husband’s departure from me; but especially since he went over the river.

But that which troubleth me most is, my churlish carriage to him when he was

under his distress. Besides, I am now as he was then; nothing will serve me

but going on pilgrimage. I was a dreaming last night that I saw him. O that

my soul was with him! He dwelleth in the presence of the King of the

country; he sits and eats with him at his table; he is become a companion of

immortals, and has a house now given him to dwell in, to which the best

palace on earth, if compared, seems to me but a dunghill. 2 Cor. 5:1-4. The

Prince of the place has also sent for me, with promise of entertainment, if

I shall come to him; his messenger was here even now, and has brought me a

letter, which invites me to come. And with that she plucked out her letter,

and read it, and said to them, What now will you say to this?

TIMOROUS: Oh, the madness that has possessed thee and thy husband, to run

yourselves upon such difficulties! You have heard, I am sure what your

husband did meet with, even in a manner at the first step that he took on

his way, as our neighbor Obstinate can yet testify, for he went along with

him; yea, and Pliable too, until they, like wise men, were afraid to go any

further. We also heard, over and above, how he met with the lions, Apollyon,

the Shadow of Death, and many other things. Nor is the danger that he met

with at Vanity Fair to be forgotten by thee. For if he, though a man, was so

hard put to it, what canst thou, being but a poor woman, do? Consider also,

that these four sweet babes are thy children, thy flesh and thy bones.

Wherefore, though thou shouldest be so rash as to cast away thyself, yet,

for the sake of the fruit of thy body, keep thou at home.

But Christiana said unto her, Tempt me not, my neighbor: I have now a price

put into my hands to get gain, and I should be a fool of the greatest size

if I should have no heart to strike in with the opportunity. And for that

you tell me of all these troubles which I am like to meet with in the way,

they are so far from being to me a discouragement, that they show I am in

the right. The bitter must come before the sweet, and that also will make

the sweet the sweeter. Wherefore, since you came not to my house in God’s

name, as I said, I pray you to be gone, and not to disquiet me further.

Then Timorous reviled her, and said to her fellow, Come, neighbor Mercy, let

us leave her in her own hands, since she scorns our counsel and company. But

Mercy was at a stand, and could not so readily comply with her neighbor; and

that for a two fold reason. 1. Her bowels yearned over Christiana. So she

said within herself, if my neighbor will needs be gone, I will go a little

way with her, and help her. 2. Her bowels yearned over her own soul; for

what Christiana had said had taken some hold upon her mind. Wherefore she

said within herself again, I will yet have more talk with this Christiana;

and, if I find truth and life in what she shall say, I myself with my heart

shall also go with her. Wherefore Mercy began thus to reply to her neighbor

Timorous:

MERCY: Neighbor, I did indeed come with you to see Christiana this morning;

and since she is, as you see, taking of her last farewell of the country, I

think to walk this sunshiny morning a little with her, to help her on her

way. But she told her not of her second reason, but kept it to herself.

TIMOROUS: Well, I see you have a mind to go a fooling too; but take heed in

time, and be wise: while we are out of danger, we are out; but when we are

in, we are in.

So Mrs. Timorous returned to her house, and Christiana betook herself to her

journey. But when Timorous was got home to her house she sends for some of

her neighbors, to wit, Mrs. Bat’s-Eyes, Mrs. Inconsiderate, Mrs. Light-Mind,

and Mrs. Know-Nothing. So when they were come to her house, she falls to

telling of the story of Christiana, and of her intended journey. And thus

she began her tale:

TIMOROUS: Neighbors, having had little to do this morning, I went to give

Christiana a visit; and when I came at the door I knocked, as you know it is

our custom; and she answered, If you come in God’s name, come in. So in I

went, thinking all was well; but, when I came in I found her preparing

herself to depart the town, she, and also her children. So I asked her what

was her meaning by that. And she told me, in short, that she was now of a

mind to go on pilgrimage, as did her husband. She told me also of a dream

that she had, and how the King of the country where her husband was, had

sent an inviting letter to come thither.

Then said Mrs. Know-Nothing, And what, do you think she will go?

TIMOROUS: Aye, go she will, whatever comes on’t; and methinks I know it by

this; for that which was my great argument to persuade her to stay at home,

(to wit, the troubles she was like to meet with on the way,) is one great

argument with her to put her forward on her journey. For she told me in so

many words, The bitter goes before the sweet; yea, and forasmuch as it doth,

it makes the sweet the sweeter.

MRS. BAT’S-EYES: Oh, this blind and foolish woman! said she; and will she

not take warning by her husband’s afflictions? For my part, I see, if he

were here again, he would rest himself content in a whole skin, and never

run so many hazards for nothing.

Mrs. Inconsiderate also replied, saying, Away with such fantastical fools

from the town: a good riddance, for my part, I say, of her; should she stay

where she dwells, and retain this her mind, who could live quietly by her?

for she will either be dumpish, or unneighborly, or talk of such matters as

no wise body can abide. Wherefore, for my part, I shall never be sorry for

her departure; let her go, and let better come in her room: it was never a

good world since these whimsical fools dwelt in it.

Then Mrs. Light-Mind added as followeth: Come, put this kind of talk away. I

was yesterday at Madam Wanton’s, where we were as merry as the maids. For

who do you think should be there but I and Mrs. Love-the-Flesh, and three or

four more, with Mrs. Lechery, Mrs. Filth, and some others: so there we had

music and dancing, and what else was meet to fill up the pleasure. And I

dare say, my lady herself is an admirable well-bred gentlewoman, and Mr.

Lechery is as pretty a fellow.