 CHAPTER III. NOW ALL THIS TIME THE GOOD KING, THE KING SHOULD I, WAS PREPARING TO SEND AN ARMY TO RECOVER THE TOWN OF MANSOUL AGAIN, FROM UNDER THE TURNEY OF THEIR PRETENDED KING, DIABOLIS. BUT HE THOUGHT GOOD AT FIRST, NOT TO SEND THEM BY THE HAND AND CONDUCT OF BRAVE AND MANUAL HIS SON, BUT UNDER THE HAND OF SOME OF HIS SERVANTS, TO SEE FIRST BY THEM THE TEMPER OF MANSOUL, AND WHETHER BY THEM THEY WOULD BE WANT THE OBEDIENCE OF THEIR KING. THE ARMY CONSISTED OF ABOVE 40,000, ALL TRUE MEN, FOR THEY CAME FROM THE KING'S OWN COURT AND WITH THOSE OF HIS OWN CHOSING. THEY CAME UP TO MANSOUL UNDER THE CONDUCT OF FOUR STOUT GENERALS, EACH MAN BEING A CAPTAIN OF TEN THOUSAND MEN, AND THESE ARE THEIR NAMES AND THE INSIGNS. THE NAME OF THE FIRST WAS BORONERGIS, THE NAME OF THE SECOND WAS CAPTAIN CONVICTION, THE NAME OF THE THIRD WAS CAPTAIN JUDGEMENT, AND THE NAME OF THE FOURTH WAS CAPTAIN EXECUTION. THESE WERE THE CAPTAINS THAT SHOULD EYE SENT TO REGAIN MANSOUL. THESE FOUR CAPTAINS AS WAS SAID, THE KING THOUGHT FIT IN THE FIRST PLACE TO SEND TO MANSOUL, TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT APON IT, FOR INDEED GENERALLY IN ALL HIS WARS, HE DID USE TO SEND THESE FOUR CAPTAINS IN THE VAN, FOR THEY WERE VERY STOUT AND ROUGH HUMAN, MEN THAT WERE FIT TO BREAK THE ICE AND TO MAKE THEIR WAY BY DINT OF SORD, AND THEIR MEN WERE LIKE THEMSELVES. TO EACH OF THESE CAPTAINS THE KING GAVE ABANA THAT IT MIGHT BE DISPLAYED BECAUSE OF THE GOODNESS OF HIS CAUSE, AND BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT THAT HE HAD TO MANSOUL. FIRST TO CAPTAIN BOANERGES, FOR HE WAS THE CHIEF, TO HIM I SAY WERE GIVEN TEN THOUSAND MEN. HIS ENSIGN WAS MR. THUNDER, HE BEAR THE BLACK COLORS AND HIS SCUTCHAN WAS THE THREE BURNING THUNDERBOLTS. THE SECOND CAPTAIN WAS CAPTAIN CONVICTION, TO HIM ALSO WERE GIVEN TEN THOUSAND MEN. HIS ENSIGN'S NAME WAS MR. SORROW, HE DID BEAR THE PAIL COLORS AND HIS SCUTCHAN WAS THE BOOK OF THE LAW WIDE OPEN FOR WHEN'S ISSUED A FLAME OF FIRE. THE THIRD CAPTAIN WAS CAPTAIN JUDGEMENT, TO HIM WERE GIVEN TEN THOUSAND MEN. HIS ENSIGN'S NAME WAS MR. TERROR, HE BEAR THE RED COLORS AND HIS SCUTCHAN WAS A BURNING FIREY FURNESS. THE FOURTH CAPTAIN WAS CAPTAIN EXECUTION, TO HIM WERE GIVEN TEN THOUSAND MEN. HIS ENSIGN WAS ONE MR. JUSTICE, HE ALSO BEAR THE RED COLORS AND HIS SCUTCHAN WAS A FRUITLESS TREE WITH AN ACKS Lying AT THE ROOT THERE OF. THESE FOUR CAPTAINS, AS I SAID, HAD EVERY ONE OF THEM UNDER HIS COMMAND TEN THOUSAND MEN, ALL OF GOOD FIDELITY TO THE KING, AND STOUT AT THEIR MILITARY ACTIONS. Well the captains and their forces, their men and under officers, being had upon a day by Shaddai into the field, and there called all over by their names, were then and there put into such harness as became their degree and that service which now they were going about for their king. Now when the king had mustered his forces, for it is he that mustereth the host to the battle, he gave unto the captains their several commissions, with charge and commandment in the audience of all the soldiers, that they should take heed faithfully and courageously to do and execute the same. Their commissions were, for the substance of them, the same in form, though as to name, title, place, and degree of the captains, there might be some, but very small, variation. And here let me give you an account of the matter, and some contained in their commission. A commission from the great Shaddai, king of Mansoul, to his trusty and noble captain, the captain Boanerges, for his making war upon the town of Mansoul. O thou Boanerges, one of my stout and thundering captains, over one ten thousand of my valiant and faithful servants, go thou in my name, with this thy force, to the miserable town of Mansoul, and when thou come astither, offer them first conditions of peace, and command them that, casting off the yoke and tyranny of the wicked Diabolus, they return to me, their rightful prince and lord. Command them also that they cleanse themselves, for all that is his in the town of Mansoul, and look to thyself, that thou hast good satisfaction touching the truth of their obedience. Thus when thou hast commanded them, if they in truth submit thereto, then do thou to the uttermost of thy power, what in thee lies to set up for me a garrison in the famous town of Mansoul. Nor do thou hurt the least native that moveth or breatheth therein, if they will submit themselves to me, but treat thou such as if they were thy friend or brother. For all such I love, and they shall be dear unto me, and tell them that I will take a time to come unto them, and to let them know that I am merciful. But if they shall, notwithstanding thy summons and the producing of thy authority, resist, stand out against thee, and rebel, then do I command thee to make use of all thy cunning, power, might, and force, to bring them under by strength of hand. Farewell. Thus you see the sum of their commissions, for, as I said before, for the substance of them, they were the same that the rest of the noble captains had. For they, having received each commander his authority at the hand of their king, the day being appointed, and the place of their rendezvous prefixed, each commander appeared in such gallantry as became his cause and calling. So, after a new entertainment from Shaddai, with flying colours, they set forward to march towards the famous town of Mansoul. Captain Bono just led the van. Captain Conviction and Captain Judgment made up the main body. And Captain Execution brought up the rear. They then, having a great way to go, for the town of Mansoul was far off from the court of Shaddai, marched through the regions and countries of many people, not hurting or abusing any, but blessing wherever they came. They also lived upon the king's cost in all the way they went. Having travelled thus for many days, at last they came within sight of Mansoul, the which when they saw, the captains could for their hearts do no less than for a while bewail the condition of the town, for they quickly saw how that it was prostrate to the will of Diabolus and to his ways and designs. Well to be short, the captains came up before the town, marched up to Eagate, sit down there, for that was the place of hearing. So when they had pitched their tents and entrenched themselves, they addressed themselves to make their assault. Now the townsfolk at first, beholding so gallant a company, so bravely accuted and so excellently disciplined, having on their glittering armour and displaying of their flying colours, could not but come out of their houses and gaze. But the cunning fox Diabolus, fearing that the people, after this sight, shooed on a sudden summons, opened the gates to the captains, came down with all haste from the castle, and made them retire into the body of the town, who when he had them there, made this lying and deceivable speech unto them. Gentlemen, quote he, Although you are my trusty and well beloved friends, yet I cannot but a little chide you for your late, uncircumstitial action, in going out to gaze on that great and mighty force that but yesterday sat down before, and have now entrenched themselves in order to the maintaining of a siege against the famous town of Mansoul. Do you know who they are, whence they come, and what is their purpose in sitting down before the town of Mansoul? They are they of whom I have told you long ago, that they would come to destroy this town, and against whom I have been at the cost to arm you with cappa pie for your body, besides great fortifications for your mind. Wherefore, then, did you not rather, even at the first appearance of them, cry out, fire the beacons, and give the whole town an alarm concerning them, that we might all have been in a posture of defence, and been ready to have received them with the highest acts to defiance. Then had you showed yourselves men to my liking. Whereas by what you have done, you have made me half-afraid, I say, half-afraid, that when they and we shall come to push a pike, I shall find you want courage to stand it out any longer. Wherefore have I commanded a watch, and that you should double your guards at the gates? Wherefore have I endeavoured to make you as hard as iron, and your hearts as a piece of the nether millstone? Was it, think you, that you might show yourselves women, and that you might go out like a company of innocents, to gaze on your mortal foes? Fie, fie, put yourselves into a posture of defence, beat up the drum, gather together in warlike manner, that our foes may know that, before they shall conquer this corporation, there are valiant men in the town of Mansoul. I will leave off now to chide, and will not further rebuke you, but I charge you, that hence-forwards you let me see no more such actions. Let not hence-forward a man of you, without order, first obtained from me, so much as show his head over the wall of the town of Mansoul. You have now heard me, do as I have commanded, and you shall cause me that I dwell securely with you, and that I take care, as for myself, so for your safety and honour also. Farewell. Now were the townsmen strangely altered. They were as men stricken with a panic fear. They ran to and fro through the streets of the town of Mansoul, crying out, Help! help! the men that turn the world upside down are come hither also. Nor could any of them be quiet after. But still, as men bereft of wit, they cried out. The destroyers of our peace and people are come. This went down with Diabolus. Ah, quoth he to himself, this I like well. Now it is as I would have it. Now you show your obedience to your prince. Hold you but here, and then let them take the town if they can. Well, before the king's forces had sat before Mansoul three days, Captain Borenurgis commanded his trumpeter to go down to Eagate, and there, in the name of the great Shaddai, to summon Mansoul to give audience to the message that he, in his master's name, was to them commanded to deliver. So the trumpeter, whose name was take heed what you hear, went up as he was commanded to Eagate, and there sounded his trumpet for a hearing. But there was none that appeared that gave answer or regard, for so had Diabolus commanded. So the trumpeter returned to his captain, and told him what he had done, and also how he had sped, where at the captain was grieved, but bid the trumpeter go to his tent. Then Captain Borenurgis sendeth his trumpeter to Eagate, to sound as before for a hearing. But they again kept close, came not out, nor would they give him an answer. So observant were they of the command of Diabolus their king. Then the captains and other field officers called a council of war, to consider what further was to be done for the gaining of the town of Mansoul. And after some close and thorough debate upon the contents of their commissions, they concluded yet to give to the town by the hand of the forenamed trumpeter, another summons to hear. But if that shall be refused, said they, and that the town shall stand it out still. Then they determined, and bid the trumpeter tell them so, that they would endeavour by what means they could to compel them by force to the obedience of their king. So Captain Borenurgis commanded his trumpeter to go up to Eagate again, and in the name of the great king Shaddai, to give it a very loud summons to come down without delay to Eagate, there to give audience to the king's most noble captains. So the trumpeter went and did as he was commanded. He went up to Eagate and sounded his trumpet, and gave a third summons to Mansoul. He said moreover, that if this they should still refuse to do, the captains of his prince would with might come down upon them, and endeavour to reduce them to their obedience by force. Then stood up my lord Willbewill, who was the governor of the town. This Willbewill was that apostate of whom mentioned was made before, and the keeper of the gates of Mansoul. He therefore with big and ruffling words, demanded of the trumpeter who he was, since he came, and what was the cause of his making so hideous a noise at the gate, and speaking such insufferable words against the town of Mansoul. The trumpeter answered, I am servant to the most noble captain, Captain Borenurgis, general of the forces of the great king Shaddai, against whom both thyself, with the whole town of Mansoul, have rebelled, and lift up the heel. And my master the captain had the special message to this town, and to thee, as a member thereof, that which, if you of Mansoul shall peaceably hear, so, and if not, you must take what follows. Then said the lord Willbewill, I will carry thy words to my lord, and will know what he will say. But the trumpeter soon replied, saying, Our message is not to the giant Diabolus, but to the miserable town of Mansoul. Nor shall we at all regard what answer by him is made, nor yet by any for him. We are sent to this town to recover it from under his cruel tyranny, and to persuade it to submit, as in former times it did, to the most excellent king Shaddai. Then said the lord Willbewill, I will do your errand to the town. The trumpeter then replied, Sir, do not deceive us, lest in so doing you deceive yourselves much more. He added moreover, for we are resolved, if in peaceful manner you do not submit yourselves, then to make a war upon you, and to bring you under by force. And of the truth of what I now say, this shall be a sign unto you. You shall see the black flag with its hot burning thunderbolts set upon the mount tomorrow as a token of defiance against your prince, and of our resolutions to reduce you to your lord and rightful king. So the said lord Willbewill returned from off the wall, and the trumpeter came into the camp. When the trumpeter was come into the camp, the captains and officers of the mighty king Shaddai came together to know if he had obtained a hearing, and what was the effect of his errand. So the trumpeter told, saying, When I had sounded my trumpet, and had called aloud to the town for a hearing, my lord Willbewill, the governor of the town, and he that hath charged of the gates, came up when he heard me sound, and, looking over the wall, he asked me what I was, whence I came, and what was the cause of my making this noise. So I told him my errand, and by whose authority I brought it. Then said he, I will tell it to the governor and to Mansoul, and then I returned to my lords. Then said the brave bowenergists, Let us yet for a while lie still in our trenches, and see what these rebels will do. Now when the time drew nigh that audience by Mansoul must be given to the brave bowenergists and his companions, it was commanded that all the men of war throughout the whole camp of Shaddai should as one man stand to their arms and make themselves ready, if the town of Mansoul shall hear, to receive it forthwith to mercy, but if not to force a subjection. So the day being come the trumpeter sounded, and that throughout the whole camp, that the men of war might be in a readiness for that which then should be the work of the day. But when they that were in the town of Mansoul heard the sound of the trumpets throughout the camp of Shaddai, and thinking no other but that it must be in order to storm the corporation, they at first were put to great consternation of spirit, but after they a little were settled again they also made what preparation they could for a war, if they did storm, else to secure themselves. Well when the utmost time was come, bowenergists was resolved to hear their answer, wherefore he sent out his trumpeter again to summons Mansoul to a hearing of the message that they had brought from Shaddai. So he went and sounded, and the townsmen came up, but made ear gate as sure as they could. Now when they were come up to the top of the wall, captain bowenergists desired to see the Lord Mayor, but my Lord incredulity was then Lord Mayor, for he came in the room of my Lord Lustings. So incredulity came up and showed himself over the wall. But when the captain bowenergists had set his eyes upon him, he cried out aloud, this is not he, where is my Lord understanding the ancient Lord Mayor of the town of Mansoul, for to him I would deliver my message. Then said the giant, for Diabolus was also come down to the captain. Mr. Captain, you have by your boldness given to Mansoul at least four summonsers to subject herself to your king, by whose authority I know not, nor will I dispute that now. I ask therefore, what is the reason of all this ado, or what would you be at if you knew yourselves? Then captain bowenergists, whose were the black colours, and whose scotchion was the three burning thunderbolts, taking no notice of the giant or of his speech, thus addressed himself to the town of Mansoul. Be it known unto you, O unhappy and rebellious Mansoul, that the most gracious king, the great king Shaddai, my master, hath sent me unto you with commission, and so he showed to the town his broad seal. To reduce you to his obedience, and he hath commanded me, in case you yield upon my summons, to carry it to you as if you were my friends or brethren. But he also hath bid, that if, after summons to submit, you still stand out and rebel, we should endeavour to take you by force. Then stood forth captain conviction, and said, his were the pale colours, and for a scotchion he had the book of the law wide open, etcetera. Here O Mansoul, thou O Mansoul was once famous for innocence, but now thou art degenerated into lies and deceit. Thou hast heard what my brother, the captain bowenergists hath said, and it is your wisdom and will be your happiness to stoop to and accept of conditions of peace and mercy when offered, especially when offered by one against whom thou hast rebelled, and one who is of power to tear thee in pieces, for so is Shaddai, our king. Nor when he is angry can anything stand before him, if you say you have not sinned or acted rebellion against our king, the whole of your doing since the day that you cast off his service, and there was the beginning of your sin, will sufficiently testify against you. What else means your hearkening to the tyrant, and your receiving him for your king? What means else your rejecting of the laws of Shaddai, and your obeying of Diabolus? Yea, what means this your taking up of arms against, and the shutting of your gates upon us, the faithful servants of your king? Be ruled then, and accept of my brother's invitation, and over stand not the time of mercy, but agree with thine adversary quickly. Ah, Mansoul, suffer not thyself to be kept from mercy, and to be run into a thousand miseries by the flattering wiles of Diabolus. Perhaps that piece of deceit may attempt to make you believe that we seek our own prophet in this our service, but know it is obedience to our king, and love to your happiness that is the cause of this undertaking of ours. Again I say to thee, O Mansoul, consider if it be not amazing grace that Shaddai should so humble himself as he doth. Now he, by us, reasons with you, in a way of entreaty and sweet persuasions, that you would subject yourselves to him. Has he that need of you that we are sure you have of him? No, no. But he is merciful, and will not that Mansoul should die, but turn to him, and live. Then stood forth captain judgment, whose were the red colours, and for a scotching he had the burning fiery furnace. And he said, O ye, the inhabitants of the town of Mansoul that have lived so long in rebellion and acts of treason against the king Shaddai, know that we come not today to this place in this manner with our message of our own minds, or to revenge our own quarrel. It is the king, my master, that hath sent us to reduce you to your obedience to him, the which of you refuse in a peaceable way to yield, we have commissioned to compel you there to. And never think of yourselves, nor yet suffer the tyrant diabolos to persuade you to think, that our king by his power is not able to bring you down, and to lay you under his feet. For he is the former of all things, and if he touches the mountains, they smoke. Nor will the gate of the king's clemency stand always open, for the day that shall burn like an oven is before him. Ye, it hasteth greatly, it slumbereth not. O Mansoul, is it little in thine eyes that our king doth offer thee mercy, and that after so many provocations? Ye, he still holdeth out his golden scepter to thee, and will not yet suffer his gate to be shut against thee. What thou provoke him to do it? If so, consider of what I say. To thee it is opened no more for ever. If thou sayest, thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him. Therefore trust thou in him. Ye, because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke. Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Will he esteem thy riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. He hath prepared his throne for judgment, for he will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire. Therefore, O Mansoul, take heed, lest, after thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, justice and judgment should take hold of thee. Now while the captain judgment was making this oration to the town of Mansoul, it was observed by some that Diabolus trembled, but he proceeded in his parable and said, O thou woeful town of Mansoul, wilt thou not yet set open thy gate to receive us, the deputies of thy king, and those that would rejoice to see thee live. Can thine heart endure, or can thy hands be strong in the day that he shall deal in judgment with thee? I say, canst thou endure to be forced to drink, as one would drink sweet wine, the sea of wroth that our king has prepared for Diabolus and his angels? Consider betimes, consider. Then stood forth the fourth captain, the noble captain execution, and said, O town of Mansoul, once famous, but now like the fruitless bowl, once the delight of the high ones, but now a den for Diabolus. Marken also to me and to the words that I shall speak to thee in the name of the great Shaddai. Behold, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. Thou, O town of Mansoul, hast hitherto been this fruitless tree. Thou bearest nought but thorns and briars. Thy evil fruit bespeaks thee not to be a good tree. Thy grapes are grapes of gall, thy clusters are bitter. Thou hast rebelled against thy king, and lo, we, the power and force of Shaddai, are the axe that is laid to thy root. What sayeth thou? wilt thou turn? I say again, tell me before the first blow is given, wilt thou turn? Our axe must first be laid to thy root, before it be laid at thy root. It must first be laid to thy root in a way of threatening, before it is laid at thy root by way of execution. And between these two is required thy repentance. And this is all the time that thou hast. What wilt thou do? wilt thou turn, or shall I smite? If I fetch my blow, Mansoul, down you go, for I have commissioned to lay my axe at as well as to thy roots, nor wilt anything but yielding to our king prevent doing of execution. What art thou fit for, O Mansoul? If mercy preventeth not, but to be hewn down, and cast into the fire and burned. O Mansoul, patience and forbearance, do not act for ever. A year or two or three they may. But if thou provoked by a three years rebellion, and thou hast already done more than this, then what follows but cut it down? Nay, after that thou shalt cut it down. And dost thou think that these are but threatenings, or that our king has not power to execute his words? Mansoul, thou wilt find that in the words of our king, when they are by sinners made little or light of, there is not only threatening, but burning calls of fire. Thou hast been a cumber ground long already, and wilt thou continue so still? Thy sin has brought this army to thy walls, and shall it bring in judgment to do execution into thy town? Thou hast heard what the captains have said, but as yet thou shutteth thy gates. Speak out, Mansoul, wilt thou do so still, or wilt thou accept of conditions of peace? These brave speeches of these four noble captains, the town of Mansoul, refused to hear. It a sound thereof did beat against Eargate, though the force thereof could not break it open. In fine the town desired a time to prepare their answer to these demands. The captains then told them, that if they would throw out to them one ill-pawse that was in the town, that they might reward him according to his works. Then they would give them time to consider. But if they would not cast him to them over the wall of Mansoul, then they would give them none. Four said they, we know that, so long as ill-pawse draws breath in Mansoul, all good consideration will be confounded, and nothing but mischief will come thereon. When Diabolus, who was there present, being loathed to lose his ill-pawse, because he was his orator, and yet be sure he had, could the captains have laid their fingers on him, was resolved at this instant to give them answer by himself. But then, changing his mind, he commanded the then Lord Mayor, the Lord Incredulity, to do it, saying, my Lord, do you give these renegades an answer, and speak out, that Mansoul may hear and understand you? So Incredulity, at Diabolus' command, began and said, Gentlemen, you have here, as we do behold, to the disturbance of our prince and the molestation of the town of Mansoul camped against it. But from whence you come, we will not know, and what you are, we will not believe. Indeed you tell us in your terrible speech that you have this authority from Shaddai. But by what right he commands you to do it, of that we shall yet be ignorant? You have also, by the authority aforesaid, summoned this town to desert her Lord, and for protection, to yield up herself to the great Shaddai, your king, flatteringly telling her that if she will do it, he will pass by and not charge her with her past offences. Further, you have also, to the terror of the town of Mansoul, threatened with great and sore distractions to punish this corporation, if she consents not to do as your wills would have her. Now captains, from whence ever you come, and though your designs be ever so right, yet know ye that neither my Lord Diabolus, nor I his servant Incredulity, nor yet our brave Mansoul doth regard either your persons, message, or the king that you say have sent you. His power, his greatness, his vengeance, we fear not, nor will we yield at all to your summons. As for the war that you threaten to make upon us, we must therein defend ourselves as well as we can, and know ye that we are not without wherewithal to bid defiance to you. And in short, for I will not be tedious, I tell you, that we take you to be some vagabond runnigate crew, that having shaken off all obedience to your king, have gotten together in tumultuous manner, and are ranging from place to place to see if, through the flatteries you are skilled to make on the one side, and threats wherewith you think to fright on the other, to make some silly town, city or country, desert their place, and leave it to you. But Mansoul is none of them. To conclude, we dread you not, we fear you not, nor will we obey your summons. Our gates we keep shut upon you, our place we will keep you out of, nor will we long thus suffer you to sit down before us. Our people must live in quiet, your appearance doth disturb them, wherefore arise with bag and baggage, and be gone, or we will let fly from the walls against you. This oration, made by old incredulity, was seconded by desperate will-be-will, in words to this effect. Gentlemen, we have heard your demands and the noise of your threats, and have heard the sound of your summons. But we fear not your force, we regard not your threats, but we'll still abide as you found us. And we command you, that in three days' time you cease to appear in these parts, for you shall know what it is once to dare offer to rouse the lion thou bolless when asleep in his town of Mansoul. The recorder, whose name was forget-good, he also added as followeth. Gentlemen, my lords, as you see, have with mild and gentle words answered your rough and angry speeches. They have moreover in my hearing, given you leave quietly to depart as you came. Wherefore take your kindness and be gone. We might have come out with force upon you and have caused you to feel the dint of our swords, but as we love ease and quiet ourselves, so we love not to hurt or molest others. Then did the town of Mansoul shout for joy, as if by Diabolus and his crew some great advantage had been gotten of the captains. They also rang the bells and made merry and danced upon the walls. Diabolus also returned to the castle, and the Lord Mayor and recorder to their place. But the Lord Willbewill took special care that the gates should be secured with double guards, double bolts, and double locks and bars, and that ear gate especially might the better be looked to, for that was the gate in at which the King's forces sought most to enter. The Lord Willbewill made one old Mr. Prejudice, an angry and ill-conditioned fellow, captain of the ward at that gate, and put under his power sixty men, called deaf men. Men advantageous for that service, for as much as they mattered no words of the captains, nor of the soldiers. Now when the captains saw the answer of the great ones, and that they could not get a hearing from the old natives of this town, and that Mansoul was resolved to give the King's army battle, they prepared themselves to receive them and to try it out by the power of the arm. And first they made their force more formidable against ear gate, for they knew that unless they could penetrate that, no good could be done upon the town. This done they put the rest of their men in their places, after which they gave out the word which was, ye must be born again. Then they sounded the trumpet. Then they in the town made them answer, with shout against shout, charge against charge, and so the battle began. Now they in the town had planted upon the tower over ear gate two great guns, the one called High Mind and the other Heddy. Unto these two guns they trusted much. They were cast in the castle by Diabolus' founder, whose name was Mr. Puff-Up, and mischievous pieces they were. But so vigilant and watchful when the captain saw them were they, that though sometimes they shot would go by their ears with a whiz, yet they did them no harm. By these two guns the townsfolk made no question but greatly to annoy the camp of Shaddai, and well enough to secure the gate, but they had not much cause to boast of what execution they did, as by what follows will be gathered. The famous man's soul had also some other small pieces in it, of the which they made use against the camp of Shaddai. They from the camp also did astoutly, and with as much of that as may in truth be called valour, let fly as fast at the town and at ear gate, for they saw that, unless they could break open ear gate, it would be but in vain to batter the wall. Now the king's captains had brought with them several slings, and two or three battering rams. With their slings therefore they battered the houses and people of the town, and with their rams they sought to break ear gate open. The camp and the town had several skirmishes and brisk encounters, while the captains with their engines made many brave attempts to break open or beat down the tower that was over ear gate, and at the said gate to make the entrance. But man's soul stood it out so lustily, through the rage of Diabolus, the valour of the Lord will be will, and the conduct of old incredulity, the mare and Mr. Forgetgood, the recorder, that the charge and expense of that summer's wars, on the king's side, seemed to be almost quite lost, and the advantage to return to man's soul. But when the captains saw how it was, they made a fair retreat, and entrenched themselves in their winter quarters. Now in this war you must needs think there was much loss on both sides, of which be pleased to accept of this brief account following. The king's captains, when they marched from the court to come up against man's soul to war, as they came crossing over the country, they happened to light upon three young fellows that had a mind to go for soldiers. They were men they were, and men of courage and skill to appearance. Their names were Mr. Tradition, Mr. Human Wisdom, and Mr. Man's invention. So they came up to the captains, and profited their service to Shaddai. The captains then told them of their design, and bid them not to be rash in their offers. But the young men told them they had considered the thing before, and that hearing they were upon their march for such a design, came hither on purpose to meet them, that they might be listed under their excellencies. Then Captain Boernerges, for that they were men of courage, listed them into his company, and so away they went to war. Now when the war was begun, in one of the briskest skirmishes, so it was that a company of Lord Willbewill's men salied out at the Salliport, or Poston of the town, and fell in upon the rear of Captain Boernerges' men, where these three fellows happened to be. So they took them prisoners, and away they carried them into the town, where they had not lain long in endurance, but it began to be noise about the streets of the town, what three notable prisoners the Lord Willbewill's men had taken, and brought in prisoners out of the camp of Shaddai. At length tidings thereof were carried to Diabolus to the castle, to it what my Lord Willbewill's men had done, and whom they had taken prisoners. Then Diabolus called for Willbewill to know the certainty of this matter. So he asked him, and he told him, then did the giant send for the prisoners, and when they were come, demanded of them who they were, whence they came, and what they did in the camp of Shaddai. And they told him. Then he sent them to war again. Not many days after he sent for them to him again, and then asked them if they would be willing to serve him against their former captains. They then told him that they did not so much live by religion, as by the fates of fortune, and that since his lordship was willing to entertain them, they should be willing to serve him. Now while things were thus in hand, there was one captain anything, a great doer in the town of Mansoul, and to this captain anything, did Diabolus send these men, and a note under his hand, to receive them into his company, the contents of which letter were thus. Anything, my darling, the three men that are the bearers of this letter, have a desire to serve me in the war, nor know I better to whose conduct to commit them than to thine. Receive them therefore in my name, and as need shall require, make use of them against Shaddai and his men. Farewell. So they came, and he received them, and he made of two of them sergeants, but he made Mr. Manson's invention his ancient bearer. But this much for this, and now to return to the camp. They of the camp did also some execution upon the town, for they did beat down the roof of the lord mayor's house, and so laid him more open than he was before. They had almost with the slings, lain my lord will-be-will outright, but he made a shift to recover again. But they made a notable slaughter among the aldermen, for with one only shot they cut off six of them, to wit, Mr. Swearing, Mr. Horing, Mr. Fury, Mr. Stantalize, Mr. Drunkenness, and Mr. Cheating. They also dismounted the two guns that stood upon the tower over Eargate, and laid them flat in the dirt. I told you before that the king's noble captains had drawn off to their winter quarters, and had there entrenched themselves and their carriages, so as with the best advantage to their king, and the greatest annoyance to the enemy. They might give seasonable and warm alarms to the town of Mansol. And this design of them did so hit, that I may say they did almost what they would to the molestation of the corporation. For now could not Mansol sleep securely as before, nor could they now go to their deportries with that quietness as in times past. For they had from the camp of Shaddai such frequent, warm and terrifying alarms, yea alarms upon alarms, first at one gate, and then at another, and again at all the gates at once, that they were broken as to form a peace. Yea they had their alarms so frequently, and that when the nights were at longest, the weather coldest, and so consequently the season most unseasonable, that that winter was to the town of Mansol a winter by itself. Sometimes the trumpets would sound, and sometimes the slings would whirl the stones into the town. Sometimes ten thousand of the king's soldiers would be running round the walls of Mansol at midnight, shouting and lifting up the voice for the battle. Sometimes again some of them in the town would be wounded, and their cry and lamentable voice would be heard, to the great molestation of the now languishing town of Mansol. Yea, so distressed with those that laid siege against them, were they, that I dare say, diabolus their king, had in these days his wrist much broken. In these days as I was informed, new thoughts, and thoughts that began to run counter one to another, began to possess the minds of the men of the town of Mansol. Some would say, there is no living thus. Others would then reply, this will be over shortly. Then would a third stand up an answer, let us turn to the king's shed-eye, and so put an end to these troubles. And a fourth would come in with a fear, saying, I doubt he will not receive us. The old gentleman too, the recorder, that was so before diabolus took Mansol, he also began to talk aloud, and his words were now to the town of Mansol as if there were great claps of thunder. No noise now so terrible to Mansol as was his, with the noise of the soldiers and shoutings of the captains. Also, things began to grow scarce in Mansol. Now the things that her soul lusted after were departing from her. Upon all her pleasant things there was a blast, and burning instead of beauty. Wrinkles now, and some shows of the shadow of death, were upon the inhabitants of Mansol. And now, oh how glad would Mansol have been to have enjoyed quietness and satisfaction of mind, though joined with the meanest condition in the world. The captains also, in the deep of this winter, did send, by the mouth of Boanerjus Trumpeter, a summons to Mansol, to yield up herself to the king, the great king Shaddai. They sent it once, and twice, and thrice. Not knowing but that at some times there might be in Mansol some willingness to surrender up themselves unto them, might they but have the colour of an invitation to do it under. Yet so far as I could gather the town had been surrendered up to them before now, had it not been for the opposition of old incredulity, and the fickleness of the thoughts of my lord will be will. Diabolus also began to rave, wherefore Mansol, as to yielding, was not yet all of one mind. For they still lay distressed under these perplexing fears. I told you but now that they of the king's army had this winter sent three times to Mansol to submit herself. The first time the Trumpeter went, he went with words of peace, telling them that the captains, the noble captains of Shaddai, did pity and bewail the misery of the now perishing town of Mansol, and were troubled to see them so much to stand in the way of their own deliverance. He said moreover that the captains bid him tell them that if now poor Mansol would humble herself and turn, her former rebellions and most notorious treasons should by their merciful king be forgiven them, yea, and forgotten too, and having bid them beware that they stood not in their own way, that they opposed not themselves, nor made themselves their own losers. He returned again into the camp. The second time the Trumpeter went, he did treat them a little more roughly. For after sound of trumpet, he told them that their continuing in their rebellion did but chafe and heat the spirit of the captains, and that they were reserved to make conquest of Mansol, or to lay their bones before the town walls. He went again the third time, and dealt with them yet more roughly, telling them that now, since they had been so horribly profane, he did not know, not certainly know, whether the captains were inclining to mercy or judgment. Only, said he, they commanded me to give you a summons to open the gates unto them. So he returned and went into the camp. These three summonses, and especially the last two, did so distress the town that they presently call a consultation, the result of which was this, that my Lord Willbewill should go up to Eargate, and there, with sound of trumpet, call to the captains of the camp for a parley. Well, the Lord Willbewill sounded upon the wall, so the captains came up in their harness with their ten thousands at their feet. The townsmen then told the captains that they had heard and considered their summons, and would come to an agreement with them, and with their king Shaddai, upon such certain terms, articles and propositions as, with and by the order of their prince, they to them were appointed to propound. To it they would agree upon these grounds to be one people with them. One, if that those of their own company, as the now Lord man their Mr. Forgetgood, with their brave Lord Willbewill, might, under Shaddai, be still the governors of the town, castle, and gates of Mansoul. Two, provided that no man that now serveth under their great giant Diabolus be by Shaddai cast out of house, harbour, or the freedom that he hitherto enjoyed in the famous town of Mansoul. Three, that it shall be granted them that they of the town of Mansoul shall enjoy certain of their rights and privileges. To it, such as have formerly been granted them, and that they have long lived in the enjoyment of, under the reign of their king Diabolus, that now is, and long has been, their only Lord and great defender. Four, that no new law, officer, or executioner of law or office shall have any power over them without their own choice and consent. These be our propositions or conditions of peace, and upon these terms, said they, we will submit to your king. But when the captains had heard this weak and feeble offer of the town of Mansoul, and their high and bold demands, they made to them again by their noble captain, the captain Boanerges, this speech following. O ye inhabitants of the town of Mansoul, when I heard your trumpet sound for a parley with us, I can truly say I was glad. But when you said you were willing to submit yourselves to our king and lord, then I was yet more glad. But when, by your silly provisors and foolish cavals, you laid the stumbling block of your iniquity before your own faces, then was my gladness turned into sorrows, and my hopeful beginnings of your return into languishing fainting fears. I count that old ill-pawse, the ancient enemy of Mansoul, did draw up those proposals that now you present us with as terms of an agreement, but they deserve not to be admitted to sound in the ear of any man that pretends to have service for Shaddai. We do therefore jointly, and that with the highest disdain, refuse and reject such things as the greatest of iniquities. But, O Mansoul, if you will give yourselves into our hands, or rather into the hands of our king, and will trust him to make such terms with and for you, as shall seem good in his eyes, and I dare say they shall be such as you shall find to be most profitable to you, then we will receive you and be at peace with you. But if you like not to trust yourselves in the arms of Shaddai our king, then things are but where they were before, and we know also what we have to do. Then cried out, old incredulity, the Lord may, and said, And who, being out of the hands of their enemies, as ye see we are now, will be so foolish as to put the staff out of their own hands into the hands of they know not who? I, for my part, will never yield to so unlimited a proposition. Do we know the manner and temper of their king? It is said by some that he will be angry with his subjects, if but the breadth of an hair they chance to step out of the way, and by others that he require for them much more than they can perform. Wherefore it seems, O Mansoul, to be thy wisdom to take good heed what thou dost in this matter. For if you once yield, you give up yourselves to another, and so you are no more your own. Wherefore to give up yourselves to an unlimited power is the greatest folly in the world, for now you indeed may repent but can never justly complain. But do you indeed know, when you are his, which of you he will kill, and which of you he will save alive, or whether he will not cut off every one of us, and sent out of his own country another new people, and cause them to inhabit this town? This speech of the Lord Mayor undid all, and threw flat to the ground their hopes of an accord. Wherefore the captains return to their trenches, to their tents, and to their men, as they were, and the mayor to the castle and to his king. End of Chapter 3. Chapter 4 of the Holy War. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Joy Chan. The Holy War by John Bunyan. Chapter 4. How Diabolus had waited for his return, for he had heard that they had been at their points. So when he was coming to the Chamber of State, Diabolus saluted him with, Welcome, my Lord! How went matters betwixt you to-day? So the Lord in credulity with the low congee told him the whole of the matter, saying, Thus and Thus said the captains of Shaddai, and Thus and Thus said I. The witch, when it was told to Diabolus, he was very glad to hear it, and said, My Lord Mayor, my faithful in credulity, I have proved thy fidelity above ten times already, but never yet found thee false. I do promise thee, if we rub over this brunt, to prefer thee to a place of honour, a place far better than to be Lord Mayor of man's soul. I will make thee my universal deputy, and thou shalt, next to me, have all nations under thy hand, yea, and thou shalt lay bans upon them, that they may not resist thee, nor shall any of our vassals walk more at liberty, but those that shall be content to walk in thy fetters. Now came the Lord Mayor out from Diabolus, as if he had obtained a favouring deed. Wote forth to his habitation he goes in great state, and thinks to feed himself well enough with hopes, until the time came that his greatness should be enlarged. But now, though the Lord Mayor and Diabolus did thus well agree, yet this repulse to the brave captains put man's soul into a mutiny. For while old incredulity went into the castle to congratulate his Lord with what had passed, the old Lord Mayor, that was so before Diabolus came to the town, to it my Lord understanding, and the old recorder, Mr. Conscience, getting intelligence of what had passed at Eargate, for you must know that they might not be suffered to be at that debate, lest they should then have mutinied for the captains. But I say they got intelligence of what had passed there, and were much concerned there with. Wherefore they, getting some of the town together, began to possess them with the reasonableness of the noble captains' demands, and with the bad consequences that would follow upon the speech of old incredulity the Lord Mayor, to wit how little reverence he showed therein either to the captains or to their king, also how he implicitly charged them with unfaithfulness and treachery. For what less, quoth they, could be made of his words, when he said he would not yield to their proposition, and added moreover a supposition that he would destroy us, when before he had sent us word that he would show us mercy. The multitude, being now possessed with the conviction of the evil that old incredulity had done, began to run together by companies in all places and in every corner of the streets of Mansoul. And first they began to mutter, then to talk openly, and after that they run to and fro, and cried as they run, O the brave captains of Shaddai, would we were under the government of the captains and of Shaddai their king. When the Lord Mayor had intelligence that Mansoul was in an uproar, down he comes to appease the people, and thought to have quashed their heat with the bigness and the show of his countenance. But when they saw him, they came running upon him, and had doubtless done him a mischief, had he not detaken himself to house. However, they strongly assaulted the house where he was, to have it pulled down about his ears, but the place was too strong, so they failed of that. So he, taking some courage, addressed himself out at a window to the people in this manner. Gentlemen, what is the reason that there is here such an uproar to-day? Men answered my Lord understanding. It is even because that thou and thy master have carried it not rightly, and as you should, to the captains of Shaddai, for in three things you were faulty. First, in that you would not let Mr. Conscience and myself be at the hearing of your discourse. Secondly, in that you propounded such terms of peace to the captains, that by no means could be granted, unless they had intended that their Shaddai should have been only a titular prince, and that Mansoul should still have had power by law to have lived in all lewdness and vanity before him, and so by consequence thy bullet should still here be king in power, and the other only king in name. Thirdly, for that thou didst thyself after the captains had showed us upon what conditions they would have received us to mercy, even undo all again with thy un-savory, un-reseasonable and ungodly speech. When old Incredulity had heard this speech, he cried out, Treason, treason, to your arms, to your arms, O ye the trusty friends of Diabolus in Mansoul. Understanding. Sir, you may put upon my words what meaning you please, but I am sure that the captains of such an high lord as theirs is, deserved a better treatment at your hands. Then said old Incredulity, this is but little better. But sir, quoth he, would I speak I speak for my prince, for his government, and the quieting of the people, whom by your unlawful actions you have this day set to mutiny against us. Then replied the old Recorder, whose name was Mr. Conscience, and said, Sir, you ought not thus to retort upon what my lord understanding hath said. It is evident enough that he hath spoken the truth, and that you are an enemy to Mansoul. Be convinced then of the evil of your saucy and malapur language, and of the grief that you have put the captains to, and of the damages that you have done to Mansoul thereby. Had you accepted of the conditions, the sound of the trumpet and the alarm of war had now ceased about the town of Mansoul. But that dreadful sound abides, and your want of wisdom in your speech has been the cause of it. Then said old Incredulity, Sir, if I live I will do your errand to diabolus, and there you shall have an answer to your words. Meanwhile we will seek the good of the town, and not ask counsel of you. Understanding Sir, your prince and you are both foreigners to Mansoul, and not the natives thereof. And who can tell but that when you have brought us into greater straits, when you also shall see that yourselves can be saved by no other means than by flight. You may leave us and shift for yourselves, or set us on fire and go away in the smoke, or by the light of our burning, and so leave us in our ruins. Incredulity Sir, you forget that you are under a governor, and that you ought to demean yourself like a subject. And know ye where my Lord the King shall hear of this day's work, he will give you but little thanks for your labour. Now while these gentlemen were thus in their chiding words, down come from the walls and gates of the town, the Lord will be will, Mr. Prejudice, old ill-paws, and several of the new-made aldermen and burgesses. And they asked the reason of the Habab and Tumult, and with that every man began to tell his own tale, so that nothing could be heard distinctly. Then was the silence commanded, and the old fox-incredulity began to speak. My Lord Quothee, here are a couple of peevish gentlemen that have as a fruit of their bad dispositions, and as I fear, through the advice of one Mr. discontent, tumultruously gathered this company against me this day, and also attempted to run the town into acts of rebellion against our prince. Then stood up all the Diabolonians that were present, and affirmed these things to be true. Now when they that took part with my Lord understanding, and with Mr. Conscience, perceived that they were like to come to the worse, for that force and power was on the other side, they came in for their help and relief. So a great company was on both sides. Then they on Incredulity's side would have had the two old gentlemen presently away to prison, but they on the other side said they should not. Then they began to cry out parties again. The Diabolonians cried out old Incredulity, forget good, the new alderman, and their great one Diabolus. And the other party, they as fast cried out Shaddai, the captains, his laws, their mercifulness, and applauded their conditions and ways. Thus the Pikament went awile. At last they passed from words to blows, and now they were knocks on both sides. The good old gentleman, Mr. Conscience, was knocked down twice by one of the Diabolonians, whose name was Mr. Benumming. And my Lord understanding had liked to have been slain with an archivist, but that he that shot did not take his aim right. Or did the other side wholly escape? For there was one Mr. Rashhead, a Diabolonian, that had his brains beaten out by Mr. Mind. The Lord will be well-servant. And it made me laugh to see how old Mr. Prejudice was kicked and tumbled about in the dirt. For though, a while since, he was made captain of a company of the Diabolonians, to the hurt and damage of the town. Yet now they had got him under their feet, and I'll assure you, he had, by some of the Lord Understanding's party, his crown cracked to boot. Mr. Anything also, he became a brisk man in the brawl. But both sides were against him, because he was true to none. Yet he had, for his malappurtness, one of his legs broken, and he that did it wished it had been his neck. Much more harm was done on both sides, but this must not be forgotten. It was now a wonder to see my Lord will be well so indifferent as he was. He did not seem to take one side more than another. Only it was perceived that he smiled to see how old Prejudice was tumbled up and down in the dirt. Also when Captain Anything came halting up before him, he seemed to take but little notice of him. Now when the uproar was over, Diabolos sends for my Lord Understanding and Mr. Conscience, and clubs them both up in prison, as the ringleaders and managers of this most heavy, riotous route in Mansoul. So now the town began to be quiet again, and the prisoners were used hardly. Yet he thought to have made them away, but that the present juncture did not serve for that purpose, for that war was in all their gates. But let us return again to our story. The captains, when they were gone back from the gate, and were coming to the camp again, called a council of war, to consult what was further for them to do. Now some said, let us go up presently and fall upon the town. But the greatest part thought rather better it would be to give them another summons to yield, and the reason why they thought this to be best was, because that, so far as could be perceived, the town of Mansoul now was more inclinable than here to fall. And if, said they, while some of them are in a way of inclination, we should by ruggedness give them distaste, we may set them further from closing with our summons than we would be willing they should. For to this advice they agreed, and called a trumpeter, put words into his mouth, set him his time, and bid him God's speed. While many hours were not expired before the trumpeter addressed himself to his journey, wherefore coming up to the wall of the town, he steered his course to ear gate, and there sounded as he was commanded. They then that were within came out to see what was the matter, and the trumpeter made them this speech following. O hard-hearted and deplorable town of Mansoul, how long wilt thou love thy sinful, sinful simplicity? And ye fools delight in your scawning, as yet despise you the offers of peace and deliverance, as yet will ye refuse the golden offers of Shaddai and trust to the lies and falsehoods of Diabolus. Think you when Shaddai shall have covered you, that the remembrance of these your carriages towards him will yield you peace and comfort, or that by ruffling language you can make him afraid as a grasshopper. Doth he entreat you for fear of you? Do you think that you are stronger than he? Look to their heavens and behold and consider the stars. How high are they? Can you stop the sun from running his course, and hinder the moon from giving her light? Can you count the number of the stars, or stay the bottles of heaven? Can you call for the waters of the sea, and cause them to cover the face of the ground? Can you behold every one that is proud and obeys him, and bind their faces in secret? Yet these are some of the works of our king. In whose name this day we come up unto you, that you may be brought under his authority. In his name therefore I summon you again to yield up yourselves to his captains. At this summons the Mansolian seemed to be at a stand, and knew not what answer to make, wherefore Diabolus' forthwith appeared, and took upon him to do it himself, and thus he begins, but turns his speech to them of Mansol. Gentlemen, quoth he, and my faithful subjects, if it is true that this summoner had said concerning the greatness of their king, by his terror you will always be kept in bondage, and so be made to sneak. Yet how can you now, though he is at a distance, endure to think of such a mighty one? And if not to think of him while at a distance, how can you endure to be in his presence? I, your prince, am familiar with you, and you may play with me as you would with a grasshopper. Consider therefore what is for your prophet, and remember the immunities that I have granted you. Further, if all be true that this man hath said, how comes it to pass that the subjects of Shadiah so enslaved in all places where they come? None in the universe so unhappy as they, none so trampled upon as they. Consider, my man-soul, would thou work as loath to leave me, as I am loath to leave thee. But consider, I say, the ball is yet at thy foot, liberty you have, if you know how to use it, yea, a king you have too, if you can tell how to love and obey him. Upon this speech the town of man-soul did again harden their hearts, yet more against the kings of Shadiah. The thoughts of his greatness did quite quash them, and the thoughts of his holiness sunk them in despair. Wherefore, after a short consult, they of the Diabolonian party they were, sent back this word by the trumpeter, that, for their parts, they were resolved to stick to their king, but never to yield to Shadiah. So it was but in vain to give them any further summons, for they had rather died upon the place than yield. And now things seemed to be gone quite back, and man-soul to be out of reach or call. Yet the captains who knew what their lord could do would not yet be beat out of heart. They therefore sent them another summons, more sharp and severe than the last, but the oftener they were sent to, to reconcile to Shadiah, the farther off they were. As they called them, so they went from them, yea, they they called them to the most high. So they ceased that way to deal with them any more, and inclined to think of another way. The captains, therefore, did gather themselves together to have free conference among themselves, to know what was yet to be done to gain the town, and to deliver it from the tyranny of Diabolus, and one said after this manor, and another after that. Then stood up the right noble, the captain, conviction, and said, My brethren, my opinion is this. First, that we continually play our slings into the town, and keep it in a continual alarm, molesting them day and night. By thus doing we shall stop the growth of their rampant spirit, for a lion may be tamed by continual molestation. Secondly, fist done, I advise that, in the next place, we with one consent draw up a petition to our Lord Shadiah, by which, after we have showed our King the condition of man's soul and of affairs here, and have begged his pardon for our no better success, we will earnestly implore his Majesty's help, and that he will please to send us more force and power, and some gullent and well-spoken commander to heed them, that so his Majesty may not lose the benefit of these his good beginnings, but may complete his conquest upon the town of man's soul. To this speech of the noble captain conviction, they as one man consented, and agreed that a petition should forthwith be drawn up, and sent by a fit man away to Shadiah with speed. The content of the petition with us. Most gracious and glorious King, the Lord of the best world and the builder of the town of man's soul. We have, dread sovereign, at thy commandment, put our lives in jeopardy, and at thy bidding made a war upon the famous town of man's soul. When we went up against it, we did, according to our commission, first offer conditions of peace unto it. But they great King set light by our council, and would none of our reproof. They were for shutting their gates and for keeping us out of the town. They also mounted their guns. They salad out upon us, and have done us what damage they could. But we pursued them with alarm upon alarm, requiting them with such retribution as was meet, and have done some execution upon the town. Diabolus in credulity and will-be-will are the great doers against us. Now we are in our winter quarters, but so is that we do yet with an high hand molest and distress the town. Once as we think, had we had but one substantial friend in the town, such as would but have seconded the sound of our summons as they ought, the people might have yielded themselves. But there were none but enemies there, nor any to speak in behalf of our Lord to the town. Wherefore, though we have done as we could, yet man's soul abides in a state of rebellion against thee. Now, King of Kings, let it please thee to pardon the unsuccessfulness of thy servants, who have been no more advantageous in so desirable a work as the conquering of man's soul is. And send, Lord, as we now desire, more forces to man's soul, than it may be subdued, and a man to heed them, that the town may both love and fear. We do not thus speak because we are willing to relinquish the wars, for we are for laying of our bones against the place, but that the town of man's soul may be one for thy majesty. We also pray thy majesty for expedition in this matter, that after their conquest we may be at liberty to be sent about other thy gracious designs. Amen. The petition thus drawn up was sent away with haste to the king by the hand of that good man, Mr. Love to man's soul. When this petition was come to the palace of the king, who should it be delivered to but to the king's son? So he took it and read it, and because the contents of it pleased him well, he mended, and also in some things added to the petition himself. Though after he had made such amendments and additions as he thought convenient, with his own hand, he carried it in to the king, to whom when he had with obeisance delivered it, he put on authority, and spake to it himself. Now the king at the sight of the petition was glad, but how much more thank you when it was seconded by his son? It pleased him also to hear that his servants who camped against man's soul were so hearty in the work, and so steadfast in their resolves, and that they had already got some good ground upon the famous town of man's soul. Wherefore the king called to him Emanuel, his son, who said, Here I am, my father. Then said the king, Thou knowest as I do myself the condition of the town of man's soul, and what we have purposed, and what Thou hast done to redeem it. Come now, therefore, my son, and prepare thyself for the war, for Thou shalt go to my camp at man's soul. Thou shalt also there prosper and prevail, and conquer the town of man's soul. Then said the king, son, Thy law is within my heart, I delight to do Thy will. This is the day that I have longed for, and the work that I have waited for all this while. Grant me, therefore, what force Thou shalt in Thy wisdom think meet, and I will go and will deliver from Diabolus, and from his power, Thy perishing town of man's soul. My heart has been often pained within me for the miserable town of man's soul. But now it is rejoiced, but now it is glad. And with that he leapt over the mountains for joy, saying, I have not in my heart thought anything too dear for man's soul. The day of vengeance is in my heart for thee, my man's soul, and glad am I that Thou, my father, hast made me the captain of their salvation, and I will now begin to plague all those that have been a plague to my town of man's soul, and will deliver it from their hand. When the king's son had said thus to his father, it presently flew like lightning round about at court. Yea, it there became the only talk what Immanuel was to go to do for the famous town of man's soul. But you cannot think how the courtiers, too, were taken with this design of the prince. Yea, so affected were they with this work, and with the justness of the war, that the highest lord and greatest peer of the kingdom did cover to have commissions under Immanuel, to go to help to recover again to Shaddai, the miserable town of man's soul. Then was it concluded that some should go and carry tidings to the camp, that Immanuel was to come to recover man's soul, and that he would bring along with him so mighty, so impregnable a force, that he could not be resisted. But oh, how ready were the high ones at court to run like lackeys to carry these tidings to the camp that was at man's soul. Now when the captains perceived that the king would send Immanuel his son, and that it also delighted the son to be sent on this errand by the great Shaddai, his father, they also, to show how they were pleased at the thoughts of his coming, gave a shout that made the earth rend at the sound thereof. Yea, the mountains did answer again by echo, and Diabolus himself did totter and shake. For you must know, that though the town of man's soul itself was not much, if at all concerned with the project, for alas for them they were woefully besotted, for they chiefly regarded their pleasure and their lusts. Yet Diabolus their governor was, for he had his spies continually abroad, who brought him intelligence of all things, and they told him what was doing at court against him, and that Immanuel would shortly certainly come with the power to invade him. Nor was there any man at court, nor peer of the kingdom, that Diabolus so feared as he feared this prince. For, if you remember, I showed you before that Diabolus had felt the weight of his hand already, so that, since it was he that was to come, this made him the more afraid. Well, you see how I have told you that the king's son was engaged to come from the court to save man's soul, and that his father had made him the captain of the forces. The time, therefore, of his setting forth being now expired, he addressed himself for his march, and taketh with him for his power, five noble captains and their forces. One. The first was that famous captain, the noble captain Credence. His were the red colors, and Mr. Promise bear them, and for a scotchin he had the holy lamb and golden shield, and he had ten thousand men at his feet. Two. The second was that famous captain, the captain Goodhope. His were the blue colors. His standard bearer was Mr. Expectation, and for his scotchin he had the three golden anchors, and he had ten thousand men at his feet. Three. The third was that valiant captain, the captain Charity. His standard bearer was Mr. Pitiful. His were the green colors, and for his scotchin he had three naked orphans embraced in the bosom, and he had ten thousand men at his feet. Four. The fourth was that gallant commander, the captain Innocent. His standard bearer was Mr. Harmless. His were the white colors, and for his scotchin he had three golden doves. Five. The fifth was the truly loyal and well-beloved captain, the captain patience. His standard bearer was Mr. Suffolkong. His were the black colors, and for scotchin he had three arrows through the golden heart. These were Immanuel's captains. As their standard bearers, their colors, and their scotchins. And these the men under their command. So as was said, the brave prince took his march to go to the town of Mansoul. Captain Credence led the van, and captain patience brought up the rear. So the other three, with their men, made up the main body, the prince himself riding in his chariot at the head of them. But when they set out for their march, oh how the trumpet sounded, their armor glittered, and how the colors waved in the wind. The prince's armor was all of gold, and it shone like the sun in the firmament. The captain's armor was of proof, and was in appearance like the glittering stars. There were also some from the court that rode with formades for the love that they had to the king Shaddai, and for the happy deliverance of the town of Mansoul. Immanuel also, when he had thus set forwards to go to recover the town of Mansoul, took with him at the commandment of his father, fifty-four battering rams, and twelve slings to whirl stones with all. Every one of these was made of pure gold, and these they carried with them, in the heart and body of their army, all along as they went to Mansoul. So they marched till they came within less than a league of the town. There they lay till the first four captains came thither to acquaint them with matters. Then they took their journey to go to the town of Mansoul, and unto Mansoul they came. But when the old soldiers that were in the camp saw that they had new forces to join with, they again gave such a shot before the walls of the town of Mansoul, that it put Diabolus into another fright. So they sat down before the town, not now as the other four captains did, to wait against the gates of Mansoul only. But they environed it round on every side, and beset it behind and before, so that now, let Mansoul look which way it will, it saw force and power lying siege against it. And then they were on mounts cast up against it. The Mount Gracious was on the one side and Mount Justice on the other. Further, there were several small banks and advanced grounds as plain truth hill and no-sin banks, where many of the slings were placed against the town. Upon Mount Gracious were planted four, and upon Mount Justice were placed as many, and the rest were conveniently placed in several parts about the town. Five of the best battering rams, that is of the biggest of them, were placed upon Mount Harkin, and a mount cast up hard by Eargate with intent to break that open. Now when the men of the town saw the multitude of the soldiers that were come up against the place, and the rams and slings and the mounts on which they were planted, together with the glittering of the armour and the waving of their colours, they were forced to shift and shift, and again to shift their thoughts. But they hardly changed for thoughts more start, but rather for thoughts more faint, for though before they thought themselves sufficiently guarded, yet now they began to think that no man knew what would be their hap or lot. When the good prince Emmanuel had thusfully good man's soul, in the first place he hangs out the white flag, which he caused to be set up among the golden slings that were planted upon Mount Gracious, and this he did for two reasons. One, to give notice to man's soul that he could and would yet be gracious if they turned to him. Two, and that he might leave them the more without excuse, should he destroy them, they continuing in their rebellion. So the white flag with the three golden doves in it was hung out for two days together to give them time and space to consider. But they, as was hinted before, as if they were unconcerned, made no reply to the favourable signal of the prince. Then he commanded and they set the red flag upon the mount called Mount Justus. It was the red flag of Captain Judgment, whose scutcheon was the burning fiery furnace, and this also stood waving before them in the wind for several days together. But look how they carried it under the white flag when that was hung out. So did they also when the red one was, and yet he took no advantage of them. Then he commanded again that his servants should hang out the black flag of defiance against them, whose scutcheon was the three burning thunderbolts. But as unconcerned was Mansoul at this, as at those that went before. But when the prince saw that neither mercy nor judgment, nor execution of judgment, would or could come near the heart of Mansoul, he was touched with much compunction and said, Surely this strange carriage of the town of Mansoul doth rather arise from ignorance of the manner and feats of war than from a secret defiance of us, and abhorrence of their own lives, or if they know the manner of their war of their own, yet not the rites and ceremonies of the wars in which we are concerned, when I make wars upon my enemy diabolus. Therefore he sent to the town of Mansoul to let them know what he meant by those signs and ceremonies of the flag, and also to know of them which of the things they would choose, whether grace and mercy, or judgment, and the execution of judgment. All this while they kept their gates shut with locks, bolts and bars as fast as they could. Their guards also were doubled and their watch made as strong as they could. Diabolus also did pluck up what heart he could to encourage the town to make resistance. The townsmen also made an answer to the prince's messenger in substance according to that which follows. Great sir, as to what by your messenger you have signified to us, whether we will accept of your mercy, or fall by your justice, we are bound by the law and custom of this place and can give you no positive answer, for it is against the law, government, and the prerogative royal of our king, to make either peace or war without him. But this we will do. We will petition that our prince will come down to the wall and there give you such treatment as he shall think fit and profitable for us. When the good prince Emmanuel heard this answer and saw the slavery and bondage of the people, and how much content they were to abide in the chains of the tyrant diabolus, it grieved him at the heart, and indeed when at any time he perceived that any were contented under the slavery of the giant, he would be affected with it. But to return again to our purpose, after the town had carried this news to diabolus and had told him moreover that the prince, that lay in the Liga without the wall, waited upon them for an answer. He refused and huffed as well as he could, but in heart he was afraid. Then said he, I will go down to the gates myself and give him such an answer as I think fit. So he went down to Malthagate and there addressed himself to speak to Emmanuel, but in such language as the town understood not, the content were of words follow. O thou great Emmanuel, Lord of all the world, I know thee that thou art the son of the great Shaddai. Wherefore art thou come to torment me and to cast me out of my possession. This town of Mansoul is thou very well knowest, is mine, and that by a twofold right. One it is mine by right of conquest, I want it in the open field, and shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive to be delivered. Two, this town of Mansoul is mine also by the subjection. They have opened the gates of their town unto me, they have sworn fidelity to me and have openly chosen me to be their king. They have also given to their castle and to my hands, yea they have put the whole strength of Mansoul under me. Moreover, this town of Mansoul has disavowed thee, yea they have cast thy law, thy name, thy image, and all that is thine behind their back, and have accepted and set up in their room my law, my name, my image, and all that ever is mine. Ask else thy captains and they will tell thee that Mansoul have an answer to all their summonses shown love and loyalty to me, but always the stain despite contempt and scorn to thee and thine. Now thou art the just one and the holy and shunst do no iniquity. Depart then I pray thee therefore from me and leave me to my just inheritance peaceably. This oration was made in the language of Diabolus himself, for although he can to every man speak in their own language, else he could not tempt them all as he does. Yet he has a language proper to himself and it is the language of the infernal cave or black pit. Wherefore the town of Mansoul, poor hearts, understood him not, nor did they see how he crouched and cringed while he stood before Immanuel, their prince. Yea, they all this while took him to be one of that power and force that by no means could be resisted. Wherefore while he was thus in treating that he might have yet his residence there, and that Immanuel would not take it from him by force, the inhabitants boasted even of his valour saying, Who is able to make war with him? Well, when this pretended king had made an end of what he would say, Immanuel, the golden prince, stood up and spank. The contents of whose words follow. Thou deceiving one, said he, I have in my father's name, in my own name, and on the behalf and for the good of this wretched town of Mansoul, somewhat to say unto thee, Thou pretendest a right, a lawful right, to the deplorable town of Mansoul, when it is most apparent to all my father's court, that the entrance which thou has obtained in at the gates of Mansoul was through thy lie and falsehood. Thou beliance my father, thou beliance his law, and so deceives to the people of Mansoul. Thou pretendest that the people have accepted thee for their king, their captain, and right liege lord. But that also was by the exercise of deceit and guile. Now, if lying, wildliness, sinful craft, and all manner of horrible hypocrisy will go in my father's court, in which court thou must be tried, for equity and right, then will I confess unto thee that thou has made a lawful conquest. But alas, what thief, what tyrant, what devil is there that may not conquer after this sort? But I can make it appear, O diabolus, that thou, in all thy pretenses, to a conquest of Mansoul, has nothing of truth to say. Finkest thou this to be right, that thou didst put the lie upon my father, and madeest him to Mansoul the greatest deluder in the world? And what says thou to thy perverting knowingly the right purpose and intent of the law? Was it good also that thou madeest a prey of the innocencey and simplicity of the now miserable town of Mansoul? Yea, thou didst overcome Mansoul by promising to them happiness in their transgressions against my father's law, when thou newest and couldest not but know, hence thou consulted nothing but thine own experience, that that was the way to undo them. Thou hast also thyself, O thou master of enmity, of spite defaced my father's image in Mansoul and set up thy own in its place to the great contempt of my father, the heightening of thy sin, and to the intolerable damage of the perishing town of Mansoul. Thou hast moreover, as if all these were but little things with thee, not only deluded and unknown this place, but by thy lies and forgillant carriage hast set them against their own deliverance. How hast thou stirred them up against my father's captains, and made them to fight against those that were sent of him to deliver them from their bondage? All these things and very many more thou hast done against thy light and in contempt of my father and of his law, yea and with design to bring under his displeasure for ever the miserable town of Mansoul. I am therefore come to avenge the wrong that thou hast done to my father, and till deal with thee for the blasphemies wherewith thou hast made poor Mansoul blaspheme his name. Yea upon thy head thou prints of the infernal cave will I requited. As for myself, O Diabolus, I am come against thee by lawful power and to take by strength of hand this town of Mansoul out of thy burning fingers for this town of Mansoul is mine, O Diabolus, and that by undoubted right, as all shall see that will diligently search the most ancient and most authentic records, and I will plead my title to it to the confusion of thy face. First for the town of Mansoul my father built and did fashion it with his hand. The palace also that is in the midst of that town he built it for his own delight. This town of Mansoul therefore is my father's and that by the best of titles and he that gainsains the truth of this must lie against his soul. Secondly, O thou master of the lie, this town of Mansoul is mine. One, for that I in my father's air his first born and the only delight of his heart I am therefore come up against thee in my own right even to recover my own inheritance out of thine hand. Two, but further as I have a right and title to Mansoul by being my father's heir. So I have also by my father's donation his it was and he gave it me nor have I at any time offended my father that he should take it from me and give it to thee. Nor have I been forced by playing the bankrupt to sell or set to sell to thee my beloved town of Mansoul. Mansoul is my desire, my delight and the joy of my heart. But three, Mansoul is mine by right of purchase. I have bought it O diabolus. I have bought it to myself. Now since it was my father's and mine and I was his heir and since also have made it mine by virtue of a great purchase. It followeth that by all lawful right the town of Mansoul is mine and that thou art a new surper, a tyrant and traitor in thy holding possession thereof. Now the cause of my purchasing of it was this. Mansoul had trespassed against my father. Now my father had said that in the day that they broke his law they should die. Now it is more possible for heaven and earth to pass away than for my father to break his word. Wherefore when Mansoul had sinned indeed by hearkening to thy lie I put in and became a surety to my father body for body and soul for soul that I would make amends for Mansoul's transgressions and my father did accept thereof. So when the time appointed was come I gave body for body soul for soul life for life blood for blood and so redeemed my beloved Mansoul. Four. Nor did I do this by halves. My father's law and justice that were both concerned in the threatening upon transgression are both now satisfied and very well content that Mansoul should be delivered. Five. Nor am I come out this day against thee but by commandment of my father. It was he that said unto me go down and deliver Mansoul. Wherefore be it known unto thee o thou fountain of deceit and be it also known to the foolish town of Mansoul that I am not come against thee this day without my father. And now said the golden-headed prince I have a word to the town of Mansoul. But so soon as Menzion was made that he had a word to speak to the besotted town of Mansoul the gates were double guarded and all men commanded not to give him audience. So he proceeded and said, O unhappy town of Mansoul, I cannot but be touched with pity and compassion for thee. Thou hast accepted of Diabolus for thy king and art become a nurse and minister of Diabolonians against thy sovereign Lord. Thy gates thou hast opened to him but has shut them fast against me. Thou hast given him a hearing but has stopped thine eyes at my cry. He brought to thee thy destruction and thou didst receive both him and it. I am come to thee bringing salvation but thou regardest me not. Besides thou hast, as with sacrilegious hands, taken thyself with all that was mine in thee and has given all to my foe and to the greatest enemy my father has. You have bowed and subjected yourselves to him. You have vowed and sworn yourselves to be his. Poor Mansoul, what shall I do unto thee? Shall I save thee? Shall I destroy thee? What shall I do unto thee? Shall I fall upon thee and grind thee to powder or make thee a monument of the richest grace? What shall I do unto thee? Harken, therefore, thou town of Mansoul. Harken to my word and thou shalt live. I am merciful Mansoul and thou shalt find me so. Shut me not out of thy gates. O Mansoul, neither is my commission nor inclination at all to do thee hurt. Why flies thou so fast from thy friend and stickest so close to thine enemy? Indeed, I would have thee, because it becomes thee to be story for thy sin, but do not despair of life. This great force is not to hurt thee, but to deliver thee from thy bondage and to reduce thee to thy obedience. My commission indeed is to make a war upon Diabolus, thy king, and upon all Diabolonians with him. For he is the strong man armed that keeps the house, and I will have him out. His spoils I must divide. His armor I must take from him. His hold I must cast him out of, and must make it a habitation for myself. And this, O Mansoul, shall Diabolus know when he shall be made to follow me in chains, and when Mansoul shall rejoice to see it so. I could, would I now put forth my might, cause that forthwith he should leave you and depart. But I have it in my heart, so, to deal with him, as that the justice of the war that I shall make upon him may be seen and acknowledged by all. He hath taken Mansoul by fraud and keeps it by violence and deceit, and I will make him bare and naked in the eyes of all observers. All my words are true. I am mighty to save and will deliver my Mansoul out of his hand. This speech was intended chiefly for Mansoul, but Mansoul was not have the hearing of it. They shut up Eargate. They barricaded it up. They kept it locked and bolted. They set a guard thereat, and commanded that no Mansoulian should go out to him, nor that any from the camp should be admitted into the town. All this they did, so horribly had Diabolus enchanted them to do, and seek to do for him against their rightful Lord and Prince. Wherefore no man, nor voice, nor sound of man that belonged to the glorious host, was to come into the town.