blessing; but let not the malicious load me, therefore, with reproach.
Chr. I thought, indeed, that you were the man that I heard of; and, to tell you what I think, I fear this name belongs to you more properly than you are willing we should think it doth.
By. Well, if you Will thus imagine, I cannot help it; you shall find me a fair company-keeper, if you will still admit me your associate.
Chr. If you will go with us, you must go against wind and tide; the which, I perceive, is against your opinion. You must also own Religion in his rags, as well as when in his silver slippers; and stand by him, too, when bound in irons, as well as when he walketh the streets with applause.
By. You must not impose or lord it over my faith; leave me to my liberty, and let me go with you.
Chr. Not a step further, unless you will do in what I propound as we.
Then, said By-ends, I shall never desert my old principles, since they are harmless and profitable. If I may not go with you, I must do as I did before you overtook me—even go by myself, until some overtake me that will be glad of my company.
Now I saw in my dream that Christian and Hopeful forsook him, and kept their distance before him; but one of them, looking back, saw three men following Mr. By-ends; and behold, as they came up With him, he made them a very low congé; and they also gave him a compliment. The men's names were Mr. Hold-the-world, Mr. Money-love, and Mr. Save-all, men that Mr. By-ends had been formerly acquainted with; for in their minority they were schoolfellows, and were taught by one Mr. Gripeman, a schoolmaster in Love-gain, which is a market-town in the county of Coveting, in the north. This schoolmaster taught them the art of getting, either by violence, cozenage, flattery, lying, or by putting on
