Chr. Yes, and a dreadful one it was.  I thought it made my heart ake as he was telling of it; but yet I am glad I heard it.

Piety. Was that all that you saw at the House of the Interpreter?

Chr. No, he took me and had me where he shewed me a stately Palace, and how the people were clad in Gold that were in it; and how there came a venturous man and cut his way through the armed men that stood in the door to keep him out, and how he was bid to come in, and win eternal Glory.  Methought those things did ravish my heart; I could have stayed at that good man’s house a twelve-month, but that I knew I had further to go.

Piety. And what saw you else in the way?

Chr. Saw!  Why, I went but a little further, and I saw one, as I thought in my mind, hang bleeding upon the Tree; and the very sight of him made my Burden fall off my back (for I groaned under a weary Burden), but then it fell down from off me.  ’Twas a strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before; yea, and while I stood looking up (for then I could not forbear looking) three Shining Ones came to me.  One of them testified that my sins were forgiven me; another stript me of my Rags, and gave me this broidred Coat which you see; and the third set the Mark which you see, in my forehead, and gave me this sealed Roll (and with that he plucked it out of his bosom).

Piety. But you saw more then this, did you not?

Chr. The things that I have told you were the best; yet some other matters I saw, as namely I saw three men, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption, lye asleep a little out of the way as I came, with Irons upon their heels; but do you think I could awake them?  I also saw Formalist and Hypocrisie come tumbling over the wall, to go, as they pretended, to Sion; but they were quickly lost; even as I myself did tell them, but they would not believe.  But, above all I found it hard work to get up this Hill, and as hard to come by the Lion’s mouths; and truly if it had not been for the good man, the Porter that stands at the Gate, I do not know but that after all I might have gone back again; but now I thank God I am here, and I thank you for receiving of me.

Then Prudence thought good to ask him a few questions, and desired his answer to them.

Prud. Do you not think sometimes of the Country from whence you came?

Chr. Yes, but with much shame and detestation:  Truly, if I had been mindful of that Country from whence I came out, I might have had opportunity to have returned; but now I desire a better Country, that is, an Heavenly.

Prud. Do you not yet bear away with you some of the things that then you were conversant withal?

Chr. Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and carnal cogitations, with which all my countrymen, as well as myself, were delighted; but now all those things are my grief; and might I but chuse mine own things, I would chuse never to think of those things more; but when I would be doing of that which is best, that which is worst is with me.