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VANITY FAIR.

Now as Christian went on his way, he came to a little ascent which was cast up on purpose that pilgrims might see before them up there, therefore, Christian went, and looking forward he saw Faithful before him upon his journey. Then said Christian aloud, "Ho, ho! so-ho! stay, and I will be your companion."

Then I saw in my dream they went very lovingly on together, and had sweet discourse of all things that had happened to them in their pilgrimage. When they were got out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town before them, and the name of that town is Vanity,' and at the town there is a fair kept called Vanity Fair. It is kept all the year long.

Now these pilgrims must needs go through this fair. Well, so they did: but behold, even as they entered into the fair all the people in the fair were moved, and the town itself in a hubbub about them. At last things came to such a stir in the fair, that all order was confounded.

Now was word presently brought to the great one of the fair, who quickly came down, and deputed some of his trusty friends to examine these men. They, not believing them to be any other than Bedlams and mad, took them and beat them, and besmeared them with dirt, and then put them into the cage, that they might be made a spectacle to all men of the fair. There, therefore, they lay for some time, and were made the object of any man's sport, or malice, or revenge; the great one of the fair laughing still at all that befell them.

But the men being patient, and "not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing," and giving good words for bad and kindness for injuries done, some men in the fair, that were more observing and less prejudiced than the rest, began to check and blame the baser sort for their continual

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abuses. They, therefore, in angry manner let fly at them again, counting them as bad as the men in the cage, and telling them that they seemed confederates, and should be made partakers of their misfortunes. The others replied that, for aught they could see, the men were quiet and sober, and intended nobody any harm; and that there were many that traded in their fair that were more worthy to be put into the cage, yea, and pillory2 too, than were the men that they had abused. Thus, after divers words had passed on both sides (the men behaving themselves all the while very wisely and soberly before them), they fell to some blows, and did harm one to another.

Then were these two poor men brought before their examiners again, and there charged as being guilty of the late hubbub that had been in the fair. So they beat them pitifully, and hanged irons upon them, and led them in chains up and down the fair, for an example and terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf or join themselves unto them. But Christian and Faithful behaved themselves yet more wisely, and received the ignominy and shame that was cast upon them with so much meekness and patience, that it won to their side (though but few in comparison of the rest) several of the men in the fair. This put their persecutors into yet a greater rage, insomuch that they concluded the death of these men.

Then, a convenient time being appointed, they brought them forth to their trial, in order to their condemnation. When the time was come, they were brought before their enemies and arraigned.

The judge's name was Lord Hate-good; their indictment was one and the same in substance, though somewhat varying in form; the contents whereof were these: "That they were enemies to, and disturbers of the trade; that they had made commotions and divisions in the town, and had won a party to their own most dangerous opinions, in contempt of the law of their prince."

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Faithful's case came on first. Witnesses having been called, and the prisoner heard in his defence, the judge thus summed up: "Gentlemen of the jury, you see this man about whom so great an uproar has been made in this town ; you have also heard what these worthy gentlemen have witnessed against him; also you have heard his reply and confession it lieth now in your breasts to hang him or save his life."

Then went the jury out, whose names were Mr. Blindman, Mr. No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Liveloose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. Implacable, who every one gave in his private verdict against him among themselves, and afterwards unanimously concluded to bring him in guilty before the judge. And first among themselves, Mr. Blind-man, the foreman, said, "I see clearly that this man is a heretic." Then said Mr. No-good, "Away with such a fellow from the earth!" Ay," said Mr. Malice, "for I hate the very look of him." Then said Mr. Lovelust, "I could never endure him." Live-loose, "for he would always be condemning my way." "Hang him, hang him," said Mr. Heady. "A sorry scrub," said Mr. High-mind. "My heart riseth against him," said Mr. Enmity. "He is a rogue," said Mr. Liar. "Hanging

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"Nor I," said Mr.

is too good for him," said Mr. Cruelty. "Let us despatch him out of the way," said Mr. Hate-light. Then said Mr. Implacable, "Might I have all the world given me, I could not be reconciled to him; therefore let us forthwith bring him in guilty of death."

And so they did: therefore he was presently condemned to be had from the place where he was to the place from whence he came, and there to be put to the most cruel death that could be invented. They therefore brought him out to do with him according to this law; and first they scourged him, then they buffeted him, then they lanced his flesh with knives; after that they stoned him with stones,

then pricked him with their swords, and, last of all, they burned him to ashes at the stake. Thus came Faithful to

his end.

But He who overrules all things, having the power of their rage in His own hand, so wrought it about that Christian for that time escaped them, and went his way.— BUNYAN'S Pilgrim's Progress.

Vanity.-Emptiness; so called because all that the town of Vanity contains is unable to give full satisfaction. Its pleasures are like empty shells, fair to outward view, but void of substantial good.

2 Pillory.-A wooden frame provided with holes for the head and hands. Criminals used to be placed in the pillory, and left there a certain time as a butt of ridicule to every one who came.

THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT.

HENRY V. Soon after his accession (A.D. 1413) crossed over to France with an army of 30,000 men, to make good his claim to the French crown. He landed at Harfleur, in Normandy, and took the town after a siege of five weeks. Meanwhile thousands perished of disease, and when the gates of Harfleur were thrown open to the besieging army only 10,000 men remained to take possession. The king, accordingly, thought it necessary to return to England, and for this purpose set out for Calais. But before he could arrive there, he was intercepted by an army of 50,000 Frenchmen, posted near the village of Agincourt. It was the eve of St. Crispin's Day when Henry halted his troops, and made preparations for battle with the same skill that Edward had displayed at Crecy and the Black Prince at Poictiers.

Henry rose at the earliest dawn, and immediately heard mass. Being equipped for action, and wearing a helmet adorned by a jewelled crown, he mounted a small grey horse, and commanding the trumpets not to sound, ordered his men out of their quarters, and drew them up in order of battle. The archers were placed between the wings in the

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