THE FINAL SUMMONS. all

I will leave behind me, for that I shall have no need of in the place whither I go, nor
is it worth bestowing upon the poorest pilgrim: wherefore, when I am gone, I desire
that you, Mr. Valiant, would bury it in a dunghill.’” This done, and the day being
come on which he was to depart, he entered the river as the rest. His last words were,
“ Hold out, faith and patience!” So he went over to the other side.

When days had many of them passed away, Mr. Despondency was sent for; for
a post was come, and brought this message to him: “Trembling man, these are to
summon thee to be ready with thy King by the next Lord’s day, to shout for joy for
thy deliverance from all thy doubtings. And,” said the messenger, “ that my message
is true, take this for a proof.” So he gave him the grasshopper to be a burden unto
him.”

Now, Mr. Despondency’s daughter, whose name was Much-afraid, said, when she
heard what was done, that she would go with her father. Then Mr. Despondency
said to his friends, “ Myself and my daughter, you know what we have been, and how
troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every company. My will and my
daughter’s is, that our desponds and slavish fears be by no man received, from the day
of our departure for ever; for I know that after my death they will offer themselves
to others. For, to be plain with you, they are ghosts the which we entertained when
we first began to be pilgrims, and could never shake them off after; and they will walk
about and seek entertainment of the pilgrims; but, for our sakes, shut ye the doors
upon them.” When the time was come for them to depart, they went to the brink of
the river. The last words of Mr. Despondency were, “Farewell night! welcome,
day!” His daughter went through the river singing, but none could understand what
she said.

Then it came to pass a while after, that there was a post in the town that inquired
for Mr. Honest. So he came to his house where he was, and delivered to his hand
these lines: “Thou art commanded to be ready against this day seven-night, to present
thyself before thy Lord at His Father’s house. And for a token that my message is
true, ‘All thy daughters of music shall be brought low.’” Then Mr. Honest called
for his friends, and said unto them, “I die, but shall make no will. As for my honesty,
it shall go with me: let them that come after me be told this.’ When the day that
he was to be gone was come, he addressed himself to go over the river. Now, the
river at that time overflowed its banks in some places; but Mr. Honest in his lifetime
had spoken to one Good-conscience to meet him there; the which also he did, and lent
him his hand, and so helped him over. The last words of Mr. Honest were, “Grace
reigns!” So he left the world.