o comfort Pilgrims) by the High-way side;
The Meadows green, besides their fragrant smell,
Yield dainties for them: and he that can tell
What pleasant Fruit, yea Leaves, these Trees do yield,
Will soon sell all, that he may buy this Field."
So when they were disposed to go on (for they were not as yet at their
Journey's end), they eat and drank, and departed.
Now I beheld in my Dream, that they had not journied far, but the
River and the way for a time parted; at which they were not a little
sorry, yet they durst not go out of the way. Now the way from the
River was rough, and their feet tender by reason of their Travels; _so
the soul of the Pilgrims was much discouraged because of the way_.
Wherefore still as they went on, they wished for better way. Now a
little before them, there was on the left hand of the road a Meadow,
and a Stile to go over into it, and that Meadow is called
_Bypath-Meadow._ Then said _Christian_ to his fellow, If this Meadow
lieth along by our way-side, let's go over into it. Then he went to
the Stile to see, and behold a Path lay along by the way on the other
side of the fence. 'Tis according to my wish, said _Christian_, here
is the easiest going; come, good _Hopeful_, and let us go over.
_Hope._ But how if this Path should lead us out of the way?
_Chr._ That's not like, said the other; look, doth it not go along by
the way-side? So _Hopeful_, being perswaded by his fellow, went after
him over the Stile. When they were gone over, and were got into the
Path, they found it very easie for their feet: and withal, they
looking before them, espied a man walking as they did (and his name
was _Vain-confidence_), so they called after him, and asked him
whither that way led? He said, To the Coelestial Gate. Look, said
_Christian_, did I not tell you so? By this you may see we are right.
So they followed, and he went before them. But behold the night came
on, and it grew very dark, so that they that were behind lost the
sight of him that went before.
He therefore that went before (_Vain-confidence_ by name), not seeing
the way before him, fell into a deep Pit, which was on purpose there
made by the Prince of those grounds, to catch vain-glorious fools
withall, and was dashed in pieces with his fall.
Now _Christian_ and his fellow heard him fall. So they called to know
the matter, but there was none to answer, only they heard a groaning.
Then said _Hopeful_, Where are we now? Then was
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