From Fair-speech! said Christian.  Is there any good that lives there? [Prov. 26:25]

By-ends.  Yes, said By-ends, I hope.

Chr.  Pray, Sir, what may I call you? said Christian.

By-ends.  I am a stranger to you, and you to me:  if you be going this way, I shall be glad of your company; if not, I must be content.

Chr.  This town of Fair-speech, said Christian, I have heard of; and, as I remember, they say it is a wealthy place.

By-ends.  Yes, I will assure you that it is; and I have very many rich kindred there.

{246} Chr.  Pray, who are your kindred there? if a man may be so bold.

By-ends.  Almost the whole town; and in particular, my Lord Turn-about, my Lord Time-server, my Lord Fair-speech, (from whose ancestors that town first took its name), also Mr. Smooth-man, Mr. Facing-both-ways, Mr. Any-thing; and the parson of our parish, Mr. Two-tongues, was my mother’s own brother by father’s side; and to tell you the truth, I am become a gentleman of good quality, yet my great-grandfather was but a waterman, looking one way and rowing another, and I got most of my estate by the same occupation.

Chr.  Are you a married man?

By-ends.  Yes, and my wife is a very virtuous woman, the daughter of a virtuous woman; she was my Lady Feigning’s daughter, therefore she came of a very honourable family, and is arrived to such a pitch of breeding, that she knows how to carry it to all, even to prince and peasant.  It is true we somewhat differ in religion from those of the stricter sort, yet but in two small points:  first, we never strive against wind and tide; secondly, we are always most zealous when religion goes in his silver slippers; we love much to walk with him in the street, if the sun shines, and the people applaud him.

{247} Then Christian stepped a little aside to his fellow, Hopeful, saying, It runs in my mind that this is one By-ends of Fair-speech; and if it be he, we have as very a knave in our company as dwelleth in all these parts.  Then said Hopeful, Ask him; methinks he should not be ashamed of his name.  So Christian came up with him again, and said, Sir, you talk as if you knew something more than all the world doth; and if I take not my mark amiss, I deem I have half a guess of you:  Is not your name Mr. By-ends, of Fair-speech?

By-ends.  This is not my name, but indeed it is a nick-name that is given me by some that cannot abide me:  and I must be content to bear it as a reproach, as other good men have borne theirs before me.

{247} Chr.  But did you never give an occasion to men to call you by this name?

By-ends.  Never, never!  The worst that ever I did to give them an occasion to give me this name was, that I had always the luck to jump in my judgment with the present way of the times, whatever it was, and my chance was to get thereby; but if things are thus cast upon me, let me count them, a blessing; but let not the malicious load me therefore with reproach.