mouth, and plucked out the sting--a foolhardiness which, as he
himself observes, might, but for God's mercy, have brought him to his
end. In the civil war he was "drawn" as a soldier to go to the siege
of Leicester; but when ready to set out, a comrade sought leave to
take his place. Bunyan consented. His companion went to Leicester,
and, standing sentry, was shot through the head, and died. These
interpositions made no impression on him at the time.

He married very early: "And my mercy was to light upon a wife, whose
father was counted godly. This woman and I, though we came together
as poor as poor might be--not having so much household stuff as a
dish or spoon betwixt us, yet this she had for her portion, 'The
Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven,' and 'The Practice of Piety,' which
her father had left her when he died, in these two books I would
sometimes read with her; wherein I also found some things that were
somewhat pleasing to me. She also would be often telling of me what
a godly man her father was, and what a strict and holy life he lived
in his days, both in word and deeds. Wherefore these books, with the
relation, though they did not reach my heart to awaken it about my
soul and sinful state, yet they did beget within me some desires to
reform my vicious life, and fall in very eagerly with the religion of
the times--to wit, to go to church twice a-day, and that, too, with
the foremost; and there should very devoutly both say and sing as
others did, yet retaining my wicked life. But, withal, I was so
overrun with the spirit of superstition, that I adored, and that with
great devotion, even all things--the high-place, priest, clerk,
vestment, service, and what else belonging to the Church; counting
all things holy that were therein contained, and especially the
priest and clerk, most happy, and, without doubt, greatly blessed,
because they were the servants, as I then thought, of God, and were