awake, and asked them whence they were, and what they did in his grounds. They told him they were pilgrims, and that they had lost their way. Then said the giant, "You have this night trespassed on me, by trampling and lying on my grounds, and therefore you must go along with me." So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in a fault.

3. The giant, therefore, drove them before him, and put them into his castle, into a very dark dungeon. Here, then, they lay from Wednesday morning till Saturday night, without one bit of bread, or drop of drink, or light, or any to ask how they did. They were, therefore, here in evil case, and were far from friends and acquaintance.

4. Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was Diffidence. So when he was gone to bed he told his wife that he had taken a couple of prisoners, and cast them into his dungeon for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her also what he had best do further to them.

5. She asked him what they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound; and he told her. Then she counseled him, that when he arose in the morning he should beat them without mercy.

6. So when he arose he getteth him a grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes into the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them as if they were

dogs, although they never gave him an unpleasant word. Then he fell upon them, and beat them fearfully, in such sort that they were not able to help themselves, or to turn them upon the floor. This done he withdraws, and leaves them there to condole their misery, and to mourn under their distress. So all that day they spent their time in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations.

7. The next night she talked with her husband further about them, and, understanding that they were yet alive, did advise him to counsel them to make away with themselves. So when morning was come he goes to them in a surly manner as before, and perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had given them the day before, he told them that, since they were never like to come out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison.

8. "For why," said he, " should you choose to live, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness?" But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked ugly upon them, and, rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself, but that he fell into one of his fits; for he sometimes, in sunshiny weather, fell into fits, and lost for a time the use of his hand. Wherefore he withdrew, and left them, as before, to consider what to do.

9. Then did the prisoners consult between them

selves whether it was best to take his counsel or no. But they soon resolved to reject it; for it would be very wicked to kill themselves, and besides something might soon happen to enable them to make their escape.

HEADS FOR COMPOSITION.

I. DOUBTING CASTLE: name of its owner-Giant Despair catches Christian and Hopeful asleep on his grounds.

II. THE GIANT AND THE PILGRIMS: the giant's charge against them — what the pilgrims said—in the dungeon.

III. THE GIANT'S WIFE: her name-her advice to her husband - how he carried it out—her next counsel - the giant recommends suicide - the pilgrims reject his advice.

1. WELL, toward evening the giant goes down into the dungeon again to see if his prisoners had taken his counsel. But when he came there he found them alive; and, truly, alive was all: for now, what for want of bread and water, and by reason of the wounds they received when he beat them, they could do little but breathe.

2. But I say he found them alive, at which he fell into a grievous rage, and told them that, seeing that they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been born. At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian fell into But coming a little to himself again, they renewed their discourse about the giant's counsel, and whether yet they had best take it or no.

a swoon.

3. Now Christian again seemed to be for doing it, but Hopeful made reply as followeth: "My brother, rememberest thou not how valiant thou hast been heretofore? Apollyon could not crush thee; nor could all that thou didst hear, or see, or feel, in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Wherefore let us bear up with patience as well as we can."

4. Now night being come again, and the giant and his wife having retired, she asked him concerning the prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel. To this he replied, "They are sturdy rogues, they choose rather to bear all hardships than to make away with themselves."

5. Then said she, "Take them into the castle-yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and skulls of those that thou hast already dispatched, and make them believe, ere a week comes to an end, thou wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows before them."

6. So when the morning was come the giant goes to

them again, and takes them into the castle-yard, and shows them as his wife had bidden him. "These," said he, "were pilgrims as you are once, and they trespassed on my grounds, as you have done; and when I thought fit, I tore them in pieces; and so within ten days I will do you. Get you down to your den again." And with that he beat them all the way thither.

7. Now when night was come Mrs. Diffidence and her husband the giant began to renew their discourse of their prisoners. The old giant wondered that he could neither by his blows nor by his counsel bring them to an end.

8. With that his wife replied: "I fear," said she, "that they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them, or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of which they hope to escape."

"And sayest thou so, my dear?" said the giant; “I will therefore search them in the morning."

9. Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray, and continued in prayer till almost break of day. Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half-amazed, broke out in this passionate speech: "What a fool,” quoth he, “am I, thus to lie in a nasty dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle."

Then said Hopeful: "That is good news, good brother! Pluck it out of thy bosom, and try."