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 abuses done by them
to the men. They, therefore, in an 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 pillory 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 among themselves, and did harm one to
another. Then were these two poor men brought before their examiners again, and
were 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 the
other party yet into a greater rage, insomuch that they concluded the death of
these two men. Wherefore they threatened that neither cage nor irons should
serve their turn, but that they should die for the abuse they had done, and for
deluding the men of the fair.
Then were they
remanded to the cage again, until further order should be taken with them. So
they put them in, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Here, also, they
called again to mind what they had heard from their faithful friend Evangelist,
and were the more confirmed in their way and sufferings by what he told them
would happen to them. They also now comforted each other, that whose lot it was
to suffer, even he should have the best of it: therefore each man secretly
wished that he might have that preferment. But committing themselves to the
all-wise disposal of Him that ruleth all things, with much content they abode
in the condition in which they were, until they should be otherwise disposed
of.
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 was this: “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.”
Then Faithful
began to answer, that he had only set himself against that which had set itself
against Him that is higher than the highest. And, said he, as for disturbance,
I make none, being myself a man of peace: the parties that were won to us, were
won by beholding our truth and innocence, and they are only turned from the
worse to the better. And as to the king you talk of, since he is Beelzebub, the
enemy of our Lord, I defy him and all his angels.
