rating of them as if they were dogs, although they gave him never a
word of distaste. Then he falls upon them, and beats 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 the time in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations.
The next night she talking with her Husband about them further, and
understanding that they were yet alive, did advise him to counsel them
to make away 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. For why, said he, should you chuse life, 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 Sunshine 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. Then did the Prisoners consult
between themselves, whether 'twas best to take his counsel or no; and
thus they began to discourse:--

_Chr._ Brother, said _Christian_, what shall we do? The life that we
now live is miserable: for my part I know not whether is best, to live
thus, or to die out of hand. _My soul chuseth strangling rather than
life_, and the Grave is more easy for me than this Dungeon. Shall we
be ruled by the Giant?

_Hope._ Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and death would be