Surly Carriages, Heavy Cogitation and Brinish Tears

This Christiana (for that was her name from the time that she with her Children betook themselves to a Pilgrim's life), after her Husband was gone over the River, and she could hear of him no more, her thoughts began to work in her mind. First, for that she had lost her Husband, and for that the loving bond of that relation was utterly broken betwixt them. For you know, said he to me, Nature can do no less but entertain the living with many a heavy cogitation in the remembrance of the loss of loving Relations. This, therefore, of her husband did cost her many a tear. But this was not all, for Christiana did also begin to consider with herself, whether her unbecoming behaviour towards her Husband was not one cause that she saw him no more, and that in such sort he was taken away from her. And upon this came into her mind by swarms, all her unkind, unnatural, and ungodly carriages to her dear Friend; which also clogged her Conscience, and did load her with guilt. She was, moreover, much broken with calling to remembrance the restless groans, brinish tears, and self-bemoanings of her Husband, and how she did harden her heart against all his entreaties, and loving persuasons (of her and her Sons) to go with him; yea, there was not anything that Christian either said to her, or did before her all the while that his Burden did hang on his back, but it returned upon her like a flash of lighning, and rent the caul of her Heart in sunder. Specially taht bitter outcry of his, What shall I do to be saved? did ring in her ears most dolefully.

(John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress,  The Second Part).

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