The Holy War
by
John Bunyan
Part 5 out of 5
the town shall be against the town, and shall serve to be a defence
to the enemies of her strength and life: I say, when they shall
make use of the forts and town-holds to secure themselves in, even
till they shall take, spoil, and demolish the castle,--this was
terrible! and yet this was now the state of the town of Mansoul.
After the town of Mansoul had been in this sad and lamentable
condition, for so long a time as I have told you, and no petitions
that they presented their Prince with, all this while, could
prevail, the inhabitants of the town, namely, the elders and chief
of Mansoul, gathered together, and, after some time spent in
condoling their miserable state and this miserable judgment coming
upon them, they agreed together to draw up yet another petition,
and to send it away to Emmanuel for relief. But Mr. Godly-Fear
stood up and answered, that he knew that his Lord the Prince never
did nor ever would receive a petition for these matters, from the
hand of any whoever, unless the Lord Secretary's hand was to it;
'and this,' quoth he, 'is the reason that you prevailed not all
this while.' Then they said they would draw up one, and get the
Lord Secretary's hand unto it. But Mr. Godly-Fear answered again,
that he knew also that the Lord Secretary would not set his hand to
any petition that himself had not an hand in composing and drawing
up. 'And besides,' said he, 'the Prince doth know my Lord
Secretary's hand from all the hands in the world; wherefore he
cannot be deceived by any pretence whatever. Wherefore my advice
is that you go to my Lord, and implore him to lend you his aid.'
(Now he did yet abide in the castle, where all the captains and
men-at-arms were.)
So they heartily thanked Mr. Godly-Fear, took his counsel, and did
as he had bidden them. So they went and came to my Lord, and made
known the cause of their coming to him; namely, that since Mansoul
was in so deplorable a condition, his Highness would be pleased to
undertake to draw up a petition for them to Emmanuel, the Son of
the mighty Shaddai, and to their King and his Father by him.
Then said the Secretary to them, 'What petition is it that you
would have me draw up for you?' But they said, 'Our Lord knows
best the state and condition of the town of Mansoul; and how we are
backslidden and degenerated from the Prince: thou also knowest who
is come up to war against us, and how Mansoul is now the seat of
war. My Lord knows, moreover, what barbarous usages our men,
women, and children have suffered at their hands; and how our
homebred Diabolonians do walk now with more boldness than dare the
townsmen in the streets of Mansoul. Let our Lord therefore,
according to the wisdom of God that is in him, draw up a petition
for his poor servants to our Prince Emmanuel.' 'Well,' said the
Lord Secretary, 'I will draw up a petition for you, and will also
set my hand thereto.' Then said they, 'But when shall we call for
it at the hands of our Lord?' But he answered, 'Yourselves must be
present at the doing of it; yea, you must put your desires to it.
True, the hand and pen shall be mine, but the ink and paper must be
yours; else how can you say it is your petition? Nor have I need
to petition for myself, because I have not offended.' He also added
as followeth: 'No petition goes from me in my name to the Prince,
and so to his Father by him, but when the people that are chiefly
concerned therein do join in heart and soul in the matter, for that
must be inserted therein.'
So they did heartily agree with the sentence of the Lord, and a
petition was forthwith drawn up for them. But now, who should
carry it? that was next. But the Secretary advised that Captain
Credence should carry it; for he was a well-spoken man. They
therefore called for him, and propounded to him the business.
'Well,' said the captain, 'I gladly accept of the motion; and
though I am lame, I will do this business for you with as much
speed, and as well as I can.'
The contents of the petition were to this purpose
'O our Lord, and Sovereign Prince Emmanuel, the potent, the long-
suffering Prince! grace is poured into thy lips, and to thee belong
mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against thee. We,
who are no more worthy to be called thy Mansoul, nor yet fit to
partake of common benefits, do beseech thee, and thy Father by
thee, to do away our transgressions. We confess that thou mightest
cast us away for them; but do it not for thy name's sake: let the
Lord rather take an opportunity, at our miserable condition, to let
out his bowels and compassions to us. We are compassed on every
side, Lord; our own backslidings reprove us; our Diabolonians
within our town fright us; and the army of the angel of the
bottomless pit distresses us. Thy grace can be our salvation, and
whither to go but to thee we know not.
'Furthermore, O gracious Prince, we have weakened our captains, and
they are discouraged, sick, and, of late, some of them grievously
worsted and beaten out of the field by the power and force of the
tyrant. Yea, even those of our captains, in whose valour we did
formerly use to put most of our confidence, they are as wounded
men. Besides, Lord, our enemies are lively, and they are strong;
they vaunt and boast themselves, and do threaten to part us among
themselves for a booty. They are fallen also upon us, Lord, with
many thousand doubters, such as with whom we cannot tell what to
do; they are all grim-looked and unmerciful ones, and they bid
defiance to us and thee.
'Our wisdom is gone, our power is gone, because thou art departed
from us; nor have we what we may call ours but sin, shame, and
confusion of face for sin. Take pity upon us, O Lord, take pity
upon us, thy miserable town of Mansoul, and save us out of the
hands of our enemies. Amen.'
This petition, as was touched afore, was handed by the Lord
Secretary, and carried to the court by the brave and most stout
Captain Credence. Now he carried it out at Mouth-gate, (for that,
as I said, was the sally-port of the town,) and he went and came to
Emmanuel with it. Now how it came out, I do not know; but for
certain it did, and that so far as to reach the ears of Diabolus.
Thus I conclude, because that the tyrant had it presently by the
end, and charged the town of Mansoul with it, saying, 'Thou
rebellious and stubborn-hearted Mansoul, I will make thee to leave
off petitioning. Art thou yet for petitioning? I will make thee
to leave.' Yea, he also knew who the messenger was that carried
the petition to the Prince, and it made him both to fear and rage.
Wherefore he commanded that his drum should be beat again, a thing
that Mansoul could not abide to hear: but when Diabolus will have
his drum beat, Mansoul must abide the noise. Well, the drum was
beat, and the Diabolonians were gathered together.
Then said Diabolus, 'O ye stout Diabolonians, be it known unto you,
that there is treachery hatched against us in the rebellious town
of Mansoul; for albeit the town is in our possession, as you see,
yet these miserable Mansoulians have attempted to dare, and have
been so hardy as yet to send to the court to Emmanuel for help.
This I give you to understand, that ye may yet know how to carry it
to the wretched town of Mansoul. Wherefore, O my trusty
Diabolonians, I command that yet more and more ye distress this
town of Mansoul, and vex it with your wiles, ravish their women,
deflower their virgins, slay their children, brain their ancients,
fire their town, and what other mischief you can; and let this be
the reward of the Mansoulians from me, for their desperate
rebellions against me.'
This, you see, was the charge; but something stepped in betwixt
that and execution, for as yet there was but little more done than
to rage.
Moreover, when Diabolus had done thus, he went the next way up to
the castle gates, and demanded that, upon pain of death, the gates
should be opened to him, and that entrance should be given him and
his men that followed after. To whom Mr. Godly-Fear replied, (for
he it was that had the charge of that gate,) that the gate should
not be opened unto him, nor to the men that followed after him. He
said, moreover, that Mansoul, when she had suffered awhile, should
be made perfect, strengthened, settled.
Then said Diabolus, 'Deliver me, then, the men that have petitioned
against me, especially Captain Credence, that carried it to your
Prince; deliver that varlet into my hands, and I will depart from
the town.'
Then up starts a Diabolonian, whose name was Mr. Fooling, and said,
'My lord offereth you fair: it is better for you that one man
perish, than that your whole Mansoul should be undone.'
But Mr. Godly-Fear made him this replication, 'How long will
Mansoul be kept out of the dungeon, when she hath given up her
faith to Diabolus! As good lose the town, as lose Captain
Credence; for if one be gone the other must follow.' But to that
Mr. Fooling said nothing.
Then did my Lord Mayor reply, and said, 'O thou devouring tyrant,
be it known unto thee, we shall hearken to none of thy words; we
are resolved to resist thee as long as a captain, a man, a sling,
and a stone to throw at thee shall be found in the town of
Mansoul.' But Diabolus answered, 'Do you hope, do you wait, do you
look for help and deliverance? You have sent to Emmanuel, but your
wickedness sticks too close in your skirts, to let innocent prayers
come out of your lips. Think you that you shall be prevailers and
prosper in this design? You will fail in your wish, you will fail
in your attempts; for it is not only I, but your Emmanuel is
against you: yea, it is he that hath sent me against you to subdue
you. For what, then, do you hope? or by what means will you
escape?'
Then said the Lord Mayor, 'We have sinned indeed; but that shall be
no help to thee, for our Emmanuel hath said it, and that in great
faithfulness, "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast
out." He hath also told us, O our enemy, that "all manner of sin
and blasphemy shall be forgiven" to the sons of men. Therefore we
dare not despair, but will look for, wait for, and hope for
deliverance still.'
Now, by this time, Captain Credence was returned and come from the
court from Emmanuel to the castle of Mansoul, and he returned to
them with a packet. So my Lord Mayor, hearing that Captain
Credence was come, withdrew himself from the noise of the roaring
of the tyrant, and left him to yell at the wall of the town, or
against the gates of the castle. So he came up to the captain's
lodgings, and saluting him, he asked him of his welfare, and what
was the best news at court. But when he asked Captain Credence
that, the water stood in his eyes. Then said the captain, 'Cheer
up, my lord, for all will be well in time.' And with that he first
produced his packet, and laid it by; but that the Lord Mayor, and
the rest of the captains, took for sign of good tidings. Now a
season of grace being come, he sent for all the captains and elders
of the town, that were here and there in their lodgings in the
castle and upon their guard, to let them know that Captain Credence
was returned from the court, and that he had something in general,
and something in special, to communicate to them. So they all came
up to him, and saluted him, and asked him concerning his journey,
and what was the best news at the court. And he answered them as
he had done the Lord Mayor before, that all would be well at last.
Now, when the captain had thus saluted them, he opened his packet,
and thence did draw out his several notes for those that he had
sent for.
And the first note was for my Lord Mayor, wherein was signified:-
That the Prince Emmanuel had taken it well that my Lord Mayor had
been so true and trusty in his office, and the great concerns that
lay upon him for the town and people of Mansoul. Also, he bid him
to know, that he took it well that he had been so bold for his
Prince Emmanuel, and had engaged so faithfully in his cause against
Diabolus. He also signified, at the close of his letter, that he
should shortly receive his reward.
The second note that came out, was for the noble Lord Willbewill,
wherein there was signified:- That his Prince Emmanuel did well
understand how valiant and courageous he had been for the honour of
his Lord, now in his absence, and when his name was under contempt
by Diabolus. There was signified also, that his Prince had taken
it well that he had been so faithful to the town of Mansoul, in his
keeping of so strict a hand and eye over and so strict a rein upon
the neck of the Diabolonians, that did still lie lurking in their
several holes in the famous town of Mansoul. He signified,
moreover, how that he understood that my Lord had, with his own
hand, done great execution upon some of the chief of the rebels
there, to the great discouragement of the adverse party and to the
good example of the whole town of Mansoul; and that shortly his
lordship should have his reward.
The third note came out for the subordinate preacher, wherein was
signified:- That his Prince took it well from him, that he had so
honestly and so faithfully performed his office, and executed the
trust committed to him by his Lord, while he exhorted, rebuked, and
forewarned Mansoul according to the laws of the town. He
signified, moreover, that he took it well at his hand that he
called to fasting, to sackcloth, and ashes, when Mansoul was under
her revolt. Also, that he called for the aid of the Captain
Boanerges to help in so weighty a work; and that shortly he also
should receive his reward.
The fourth note came out for Mr. Godly-Fear, wherein his Lord thus
signified:- That his Lordship observed, that he was the first of
all the men in Mansoul that detected Mr. Carnal-Security as the
only one that, through his subtlety and cunning, had obtained for
Diabolus a defection and decay of goodness in the blessed town of
Mansoul. Moreover, his Lord gave him to understand, that he still
remembered his tears and mourning for the state of Mansoul. It was
also observed, by the same note, that his Lord took notice of his
detecting of this Mr. Carnal-Security, at his own table among his
guests, in his own house, and that in the midst of his jolliness,
even while he was seeking to perfect his villanies against the town
of Mansoul. Emmanuel also took notice that this reverend person,
Mr. Godly-Fear, stood stoutly to it, at the gates of the castle,
against all the threats and attempts of the tyrant; and that he had
put the townsmen in a way to make their petition to their Prince,
so as that he might accept thereof, and as they might obtain an
answer of peace; and that therefore shortly he should receive his
reward.
After all this, there was yet produced a note which was written to
the whole town of Mansoul, whereby they perceived--That their Lord
took notice of their so often repeating of petitions to him; and
that they should see more of the fruits of such their doings in
time to come. Their Prince did also therein tell them, that he
took it well, that their heart and mind, now at last, abode fixed
upon him and his ways, though Diabolus had made such inroads upon
them; and that neither flatteries on the one hand, nor hardships on
the other, could make them yield to serve his cruel designs. There
was also inserted at the bottom of this note--That his Lordship had
left the town of Mansoul in the hands of the Lord Secretary, and
under the conduct of Captain Credence, saying, 'Beware that you yet
yield yourselves unto their governance; and in due time you shall
receive your reward.'
So, after the brave Captain Credence had delivered his notes to
those to whom they belonged, he retired himself to my Lord
Secretary's lodgings, and there spends time in conversing with him;
for they too were very great one with another, and did indeed know
more how things would go with Mansoul than did all the townsmen
besides. The Lord Secretary also loved the Captain Credence
dearly; yea, many a good bit was sent him from my Lord's table;
also, he might have a show of countenance, when the rest of Mansoul
lay under the clouds: so, after some time for converse was spent,
the captain betook himself to his chambers to rest. But it was not
long after when my Lord did send for the captain again; so the
captain came to him, and they greeted one another with usual
salutations. Then said the captain to the Lord Secretary, 'What
hath my Lord to say to his servant?' So the Lord Secretary took
him and had him aside, and after a sign or two of more favour, he
said, 'I have made thee the Lord's lieutenant over all the forces
in Mansoul; so that, from this day forward, all men in Mansoul
shall be at thy word; and thou shalt be he that shall lead in, and
that shall lead out Mansoul. Thou shalt therefore manage,
according to thy place, the war for thy Prince, and for the town of
Mansoul, against the force and power of Diabolus; and at thy
command shall the rest of the captains be.'
Now the townsmen began to perceive what interest the captain had,
both with the court, and also with the Lord Secretary in Mansoul;
for no man before could speed when sent, nor bring such good news
from Emmanuel as he. Wherefore what do they, after some
lamentation that they made no more use of him in their distresses,
but send by their subordinate preacher to the Lord Secretary, to
desire him that all that ever they were and had might be put under
the government, care, custody, and conduct of Captain Credence.
So their preacher went and did his errand, and received this answer
from the mouth of his Lord: that Captain Credence should be the
great doer in all the King's army, against the King's enemies, and
also for the welfare of Mansoul. So he bowed to the ground, and
thanked his Lordship, and returned and told his news to the
townsfolk. But all this was done with all imaginable secrecy,
because the foes had yet great strength in the town. But to return
to our story again.
When Diabolus saw himself thus boldly confronted by the Lord Mayor,
and perceived the stoutness of Mr. Godly-Fear, he fell into a rage,
and forthwith called a council of war, that he might be revenged on
Mansoul. So all the princes of the pit came together, and old
Incredulity at the head of them, with all the captains of his army.
So they consult what to do. Now the effect and conclusion of the
council that day was how they might take the castle, because they
could not conclude themselves masters of the town so long as that
was in the possession of their enemies.
So one advised this way, and another advised that; but when they
could not agree in their verdict, Apollyon, that president of the
council, stood up, and thus he began: 'My brotherhood,' quoth he,
'I have two things to propound unto you; and my first is this. Let
us withdraw ourselves from the town into the plain again, for our
presence here will do us no good, because the castle is yet in our
enemies' hands; nor is it possible that we should take that, so
long as so many brave captains are in it, and that this bold
fellow, Godly-Fear, is made the keeper of the gates of it. Now,
when we have withdrawn ourselves into the plain, they, of their own
accord, will be glad of some little ease; and it may be, of their
own accord, they again may begin to be remiss, and even their so
being will give them a bigger blow than we can possibly give them
ourselves. But if that should fail, our going forth of the town
may draw the captains out after us; and you know what it cost them
when we fought them in the field before. Besides, can we but draw
them out into the field, we may lay an ambush behind the town,
which shall, when they are come forth abroad, rush in and take
possession of the castle.'
But Beelzebub stood up, and replied, saying: 'It is impossible to
draw them all off from the castle; some, you may be sure, will lie
there to keep that; wherefore it will be but in vain thus to
attempt, unless we were sure that they will all come out.' He
therefore concluded that what was done must be done by some other
means. And the most likely means that the greatest of their heads
could invent, was that which Apollyon had advised to before,
namely, to get the townsmen again to sin. 'For,' said he, 'it is
not our being in the town, nor in the field, nor our fighting, nor
our killing of their men, that can make us the masters of Mansoul;
for so long as one in the town is able to lift up his finger
against us, Emmanuel will take their parts; and if he shall take
their parts, we know what time of day it will be with us.
Wherefore, for my part,' quoth he, 'there is, in my judgment, no
way to bring them into bondage to us, like inventing a way to make
them sin. Had we,' said he, 'left all our doubters at home, we had
done as well as we have done now, unless we could have made them
the masters and governors of the castle; for doubters at a distance
are but like objections refelled with arguments. Indeed, can we
but get them into the hold, and make them possessors of that, the
day will be our own. Let us, therefore, withdraw ourselves into
the plain, (not expecting that the captains in Mansoul should
follow us,) but yet, I say, let us do this, and before we so do,
let us advise again with our trusty Diabolonians that are yet in
their holds of Mansoul, and set them to work to betray the town to
us; for they indeed must do it, or it will be left undone for
ever.' By these sayings of Beelzebub, (for I think it was he that
gave this counsel,) the whole conclave was forced to be of his
opinion, namely, that the way to get the castle was to get the town
to sin. Then they fell to inventing by what means they might do
this thing.
Then Lucifer stood up, and said: 'The counsel of Beelzebub is
pertinent. Now, the way to bring this to pass, in mine opinion, is
this: let us withdraw our force from the town of Mansoul; let us
do this, and let us terrify them no more, either with summons, or
threats, or with the noise of our drum, or any other awakening
means. Only let us lie in the field at a distance, and be as if we
regarded them not; for frights, I see, do but awaken them, and make
them more stand to their arms. I have also another stratagem in my
head: you know Mansoul is a market-town, and a town that delights
in commerce; what, therefore, if some of our Diabolonians shall
feign themselves far-country men, and shall go out and bring to the
market of Mansoul some of our wares to sell; and what matter at
what rates they sell their wares, though it be but for half the
worth? Now, let those that thus shall trade in their market be
those that are witty and true to us, and I will lay my crown to
pawn it will do. There are two that are come to my thoughts
already, that I think will be arch at this work, and they are Mr.
Penny-wise-pound-foolish, and Mr. Get-i'the-hundred-and-lose-i'the-
shire; nor is this man with the long name at all inferior to the
other. What, also, if you join with them Mr. Sweet-world and Mr.
Present-good; they are men that are civil and cunning, but our true
friends and helpers. Let these, with as many more, engage in this
business for us, and let Mansoul be taken up in much business, and
let them grow full and rich, and this is the way to get ground of
them. Remember ye not that thus we prevailed upon Laodicea, and
how many at present do we hold in this snare? Now, when they begin
to grow full, they will forget their misery; and if we shall not
affright them, they may happen to fall asleep, and so be got to
neglect their town watch, their castle watch, as well as their
watch at the gates.
'Yea, may we not, by this means, so cumber Mansoul with abundance,
that they shall be forced to make of their castle a warehouse,
instead of a garrison fortified against us, and a receptacle for
men of war. Thus, if we get our goods and commodities thither, I
reckon that the castle is more than half ours. Besides, could we
so order it that it shall be filled with such kind of wares, then
if we made a sudden assault upon them, it would be hard for the
captains to take shelter there. Do you not know that of the
parable, "The deceitfulness of riches choke the word"? and again,
"When the heart is over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness,
and the cares of this life," all mischief comes upon them at
unawares?
'Furthermore, my lords,' quoth he, 'you very well know that it is
not easy for a people to be filled with our things, and not to have
some of our Diabolonians as retainers to their houses and services.
Where is a Mansoulian that is full of this world, that has not for
his servants and waiting-men, Mr. Profuse, or Mr. Prodigality, or
some other of our Diabolonian gang, as Mr. Voluptuous, Mr.
Pragmatical, Mr. Ostentation, or the like? Now these can take the
castle of Mansoul, or blow it up, or make it unfit for a garrison
for Emmanuel, and any of these will do. Yea, these, for aught I
know, may do it for us sooner than an army of twenty thousand men.
Wherefore, to end as I began, my advice is, that we quietly
withdraw ourselves, not offering any further force, or forcible
attempts, upon the castle, at least at this time; and let us set on
foot our new project, and let us see if that will not make them
destroy themselves.'
This advice was highly applauded by them all, and was accounted the
very masterpiece of hell, namely, to choke Mansoul with a fulness
of this world, and to surfeit her heart with the good things
thereof. But see how things meet together! Just as this
Diabolonian council was broken up, Captain Credence received a
letter from Emmanuel, the contents of which were these: That upon
the third day he would meet him in the field in the plains about
Mansoul. 'Meet me in the field!' quoth the Captain; 'what meaneth
my lord by this? I know not what he meaneth by meeting me in the
field.' So he took the note in his hand, and did carry it to my
Lord Secretary, to ask his thoughts thereupon; for my Lord was a
seer in all matters concerning the King, and also for the good and
comfort of the town of Mansoul. So he showed my Lord the note, and
desired his opinion thereof. 'For my part,' quoth Captain
Credence, 'I know not the meaning thereof.' So my lord did take
and read it and, after a little pause, he said, 'The Diabolonians
have had against Mansoul a great consultation to-day; they have, I
say, this day been contriving the utter ruin of the town; and the
result of their council is, to set Mansoul into such a way which,
if taken, will surely make her destroy herself. And, to this end,
they are making ready for their own departure out of the town,
intending to betake themselves to the field again,' and there to
lie till they shall see whether this their project will take or no.
But be thou ready with the men of thy Lord, (for on the third day
they will be in the plain,) there to fall upon the Diabolonians;
for the Prince will by that time be in the field; yea, by that it
is break of day, sun-rising, or before, and that with a mighty
force against them. So he shall be before them, and thou shalt be
behind them, and betwixt you both their army shall be destroyed.'
When Captain Credence heard this, away goes he to the rest of the
captains, and tells them what a note he had a while since received
from the hand of Emmanuel. 'And,' said he, 'that which was dark
therein hath my lord the Lord Secretary expounded unto me.' He
told them, moreover, what by himself and by them must be done to
answer the mind of their Lord. Then were the captains glad; and
Captain Credence commanded that all the King's trumpeters should
ascend to the battlements of the castle, and there, in the audience
of Diabolus and of the whole town of Mansoul, make the best music
that heart could invent. The trumpeters then did as they were
commanded. They got themselves up to the top of the castle, and
thus they began to sound. Then did Diabolus start, and said, 'What
can be the meaning of this? they neither sound Boot-and-saddle, nor
Horse-and-away, nor a charge. What do these madmen mean that yet
they should be so merry and glad?' Then answered one of themselves
and said, 'This is for joy that their Prince Emmanuel is coming to
relieve the town of Mansoul; and to this end he is at the head of
an army, and that this relief is near.'
The men of Mansoul also were greatly concerned at this melodious
charm of the trumpets; they said, yea, they answered one another,
saying, 'This can be no harm to us; surely this can be no harm to
us.' Then said the Diabolonians, 'What had we best to do?' and it
was answered, 'It was best to quit the town;' and 'that,' said one,
'ye may do in pursuance of your last counsel, and by so doing also
be better able to give the enemy battle, should an army from
without come upon us. So, on the second day, they withdrew
themselves from Mansoul, and abode in the plains without; but they
encamped themselves before Eye-gate, in what terrene and terrible
manner they could. The reason why they would not abide in the town
(besides the reasons that were debated in their late conclave) was,
for that they were not possessed of the stronghold, and 'because,'
said they, 'we shall have more convenience to fight, and also to
fly, if need be, when we are encamped in the open plains.'
Besides, the town would have been a pit for them rather than a
place of defence, had the Prince come up and inclosed them fast
therein. Therefore they betook themselves to the field, that they
might also be out of the reach of the slings, by which they were
much annoyed all the while that they were in the town.
Well, the time that the captains were to fall upon the Diabolonians
being come, they eagerly prepared themselves for action; for
Captain Credence had told the captains over night, that they should
meet their Prince in the field to-morrow. This, therefore, made
them yet far more desirous to be engaging the enemy; for 'You shall
see the Prince in the field to-morrow' was like oil to a flaming
fire, for of a long time they had been at a distance: they
therefore were for this the more earnest and desirous of the work.
So, as I said, the hour being come, Captain Credence, with the rest
of the men of war, drew out their forces before it was day by the
sally-port of the town. And, being all ready, Captain Credence
went up to the head of the army, and gave to the rest of the
captains the word, and so they to their under-officers and
soldiers: the word was 'The sword of the Prince Emmanuel, and the
shield of Captain Credence;' which is, in the Mansoulian tongue,
'The word of God and faith.' Then the captains fell on, and began
roundly to front, and flank, and rear Diabolus's camp.
Now, they left Captain Experience in the town, because he was yet
ill of his wounds, which the Diabolonians had given him in the last
fight. But when he perceived that the captains were at it, what
does he but, calling for his crutches with haste, gets up, and away
he goes to the battle, saying, 'Shall I lie here, when my brethren
are in the fight, and when Emmanuel, the Prince, will show himself
in the field to his servants?' But when the enemy saw the man come
with his crutches, they were daunted yet the more; 'for,' thought
they, 'what spirit has possessed these Mansoulians, that they fight
us upon their crutches?' Well, the captains, as I said, fell on,
and did bravely handle their weapons, still crying out and
shouting, as they laid on blows, 'The sword of the Prince Emmanuel,
and the shield of Captain Credence!'
Now, when Diabolus saw that the captains were come out, and that so
valiantly they surrounded his men, he concluded that, for the
present, nothing from them was to be looked for but blows, and the
dints of their 'two-edged sword.'
Wherefore he also falls on upon the Prince's army with all his
deadly force: so the battle was joined. Now who was it that at
first Diabolus met with in the fight, but Captain Credence on the
one hand, and the Lord Willbewill on the other: now Willbewill's
blows were like the blows of a giant, for that man had a strong
arm, and he fell in upon the election doubters, for they were the
life-guard of Diabolus, and he kept them in play a good while,
cutting and battering shrewdly. Now when Captain Credence saw my
lord engaged, he did stoutly fall on, on the other hand, upon the
same company also; so they put them to great disorder. Now Captain
Good-Hope had engaged the vocation doubters, and they were sturdy
men; but the captain was a valiant man: Captain Experience did
also send him some aid; so he made the vocation doubters to
retreat. The rest of the armies were hotly engaged, and that on
every side, and the Diabolonians did fight stoutly. Then did my
Lord Secretary command that the slings from the castle should be
played; and his men could throw stones at an hair's breadth. But,
after a while, those that were made to fly before the captains of
the Prince, did begin to rally again, and they came up stoutly upon
the rear of the Prince's army: wherefore the Prince's army began
to faint; but, remembering that they should see the face of their
Prince by-and-by, they took courage, and a very fierce battle was
fought. Then shouted the captains, saying, 'The sword of the
Prince Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence!' and with that
Diabolus gave back, thinking that more aid had been come. But no
Emmanuel as yet appeared. Moreover, the battle did hang in doubt;
and they made a little retreat on both sides. Now, in the time of
respite, Captain Credence bravely encouraged his men to stand to
it; and Diabolus did the like, as well as he could. But Captain
Credence made a brave speech to his soldiers, the contents whereof
here follow:-
'Gentlemen soldiers, and my brethren in this design, it rejoiceth
me much to see in the field for our Prince, this day, so stout and
so valiant an army, and such faithful lovers of Mansoul. You have
hitherto, as hath become you, shown yourselves men of truth and
courage against the Diabolonian forces; so that, for all their
boast, they have not yet much cause to boast of their gettings.
Now take to yourselves your wonted courage, and show yourselves men
even this once only; for in a few minutes after the next
engagement, this time, you shall see your Prince show himself in
the field; for we must make this second assault upon this tyrant
Diabolus, and then Emmanuel comes.'
No sooner had the captain made this speech to his soldiers, but one
Mr. Speedy came post to the captain from the Prince, to tell him
that Emmanuel was at hand. This news when the captain had
received, he communicated to the other field-officers, and they
again to their soldiers and men of war. Wherefore, like men raised
from the dead, so the captains and their men arose, made up to the
enemy, and cried as before, 'The sword of the Prince Emmanuel, and
the shield of Captain Credence!'
The Diabolonians also bestirred themselves, and made resistance as
well as they could; but in this last engagement the Diabolonians
lost their courage, and many of the doubters fell down dead to the
ground. Now, when they had been in heat of battle about an hour or
more, Captain Credence lift up his eyes and saw, and, behold,
Emmanuel came; and he came with colours flying, trumpets sounding,
and the feet of his men scarce touched the ground, they hasted with
that celerity towards the captains that were engaged. Then did
Credence wind with his men to the townward, and gave to Diabolus
the field: so Emmanuel came upon him on the one side, and the
enemies' place was betwixt them both. Then again they fell to it
afresh; and now it was but a little while more but Emmanuel and
Captain Credence met, still trampling down the slain as they came.
But when the captains saw that the Prince was come, and that he
fell upon the Diabolonians on the other side, and that Captain
Credence and his Highness had got them up betwixt them, they
shouted, (they so shouted that the ground rent again,) saying, 'The
sword of Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence!' Now, when
Diabolus saw that he and his forces were so hard beset by the
Prince and his princely army, what does he, and the lords of the
pit that were with him, but make their escape, and forsake their
army, and leave them to fall by the hand of Emmanuel, and of his
noble Captain Credence: so they fell all down slain before them,
before the Prince, and before his royal army; there was not left so
much as one doubter alive; they lay spread upon the ground dead
men, as one would spread dung upon the land.
When the battle was over, all things came into order in the camp.
Then the captains and elders of Mansoul came together to salute
Emmanuel, while without the corporation: so they saluted him, and
welcomed him, and that with a thousand welcomes, for that he was
come to the borders of Mansoul again. So he smiled upon them, and
said, 'Peace be to you.' Then they addressed themselves to go to
the town; they went then to go up to Mansoul, they, the Prince,
with all the new forces that now he had brought with him to the
war. Also all the gates of the town were set open for his
reception, so glad were they of his blessed return. And this was
the manner and order of this going of his into Mansoul:
First. As I said, all the gates of the town were set open, yea,
the gates of the castle also; the elders, too, of the town of
Mansoul placed themselves at the gates of the town, to salute him
at his entrance thither: and so they did; for, as he drew near,
and approached towards the gates, they said, 'Lift up your heads, O
ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of
glory shall come in.' And they answered again, 'Who is the King of
glory?' and they made return to themselves, 'The Lord, strong and
mighty; the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
even lift them up, ye everlasting doors,' etc.
Secondly. It was ordered also, by those of Mansoul, that all the
way from the town gates to those of the castle, his blessed Majesty
should be entertained with the song, by them that had the best
skill in music in all the town of Mansoul: then did the elders,
and the rest of the men of Mansoul, answer one another as Emmanuel
entered the town, till he came at the castle gates, with songs and
sound of trumpets, saying, 'They have seen thy goings, O God; even
the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. So the singers
went before, the players on instruments followed after, and among
them were the damsels playing on timbrels.'
Thirdly. Then the captains, (for I would speak a word of them,)
they in their order waited on the Prince, as he entered into the
gates of Mansoul. Captain Credence went before, and Captain Good-
Hope with him; Captain Charity came behind with other of his
companions, and Captain Patience followed after all; and the rest
of the captains, some on the right hand, and some on the left,
accompanied Emmanuel into Mansoul. And all the while the colours
were displayed, the trumpets sounded, and continual shoutings were
among the soldiers. The Prince himself rode into the town in his
armour, which was all of beaten gold, and in his chariot--the
pillars of it were of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the
covering of it was of purple, the midst thereof being paved with
love for the daughters of the town of Mansoul.
Fourthly. When the Prince was come to the entrance of Mansoul, he
found all the streets strewed with lilies and flowers, curiously
decked with boughs and branches from the green trees that stood
round about the town. Every door also was filled with persons, who
had adorned every one their fore-part against their house with
something of variety and singular excellency, to entertain him
withal as he passed in the streets: they also themselves, as
Emmanuel passed by, did welcome him with shouts and acclamations of
joy, saying, 'Blessed be the Prince that cometh in the name of his
Father Shaddai.'
Fifthly. At the castle gates the elders of Mansoul, namely, the
Lord Mayor, the Lord Willbewill, the subordinate preacher, Mr.
Knowledge, and Mr. Mind, with other of the gentry of the place,
saluted Emmanuel again. They bowed before him, they kissed the
dust of his feet, they thanked, they blessed, and praised his
Highness for not taking advantage against them for their sins, but
rather had pity upon them in their misery, and returned to them
with mercies, and to build up their Mansoul for ever. Thus was he
had up straightway to the castle; for that was the royal palace,
and the place where his honour was to dwell; the which was ready
prepared for his Highness by the presence of the Lord Secretary,
and the work of Captain Credence. So he entered in.
Sixthly. Then the people and commonalty of the town of Mansoul
came to him into the castle to mourn, and to weep, and to lament
for their wickedness, by which they had forced him out of the town.
So when they were come, bowed themselves to the ground seven times;
they also wept, they wept aloud, and asked forgiveness of the
Prince, and prayed that he would again, as of old, confirm his love
to Mansoul.
To the which the great Prince replied, 'Weep not, but go your way,
eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for
whom nought is prepared; for the joy of your Lord is your strength.
I am returned to Mansoul with mercies, and my name shall be set up,
exalted, and magnified by it.' He also took these inhabitants, and
kissed them, and laid them in his bosom.
Moreover, he gave to the elders of Mansoul, and to each town
officer, a chain of gold and a signet. He also sent to their wives
earrings and jewels, and bracelets, and other things. He also
bestowed upon the true-born children of Mansoul many precious
things.
When Emmanuel, the Prince, had done all these things for the famous
town of Mansoul, then he said unto them, first, 'Wash your
garments, then put on your ornaments, and then come to me into the
castle of Mansoul.' So they went to the fountain that was set open
for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in; and there they washed, and
there they made their 'garments white,' and came again to the
Prince into the castle, and thus they stood before him.
And now there was music and dancing throughout the whole town of
Mansoul, and that because their Prince had again granted to them
his presence and the light of his countenance; the bells also did
ring, and the sun shone comfortably upon them for a great while
together.
The town of Mansoul did also now more thoroughly seek the
destruction and ruin of all remaining Diabolonians that abode in
the walls, and the dens that they had in the town of Mansoul; for
there was of them that had, to this day, escaped with life and limb
from the hand of their suppressors in the famous town of Mansoul.
But my Lord Willbewill was a greater terror to them now than ever
he had been before; forasmuch as his heart was yet more fully bent
to seek, contrive, and pursue them to the death; he pursued them
night and day, and did put them now to sore distress, as will
afterwards appear.
After things were thus far put into order in the famous town of
Mansoul, care was taken, and order given by the blessed Prince
Emmanuel, that the townsmen should, without further delay, appoint
some to go forth into the plain to bury the dead that were there,--
the dead that fell by the sword of Emmanuel, and by the shield of
the Captain Credence,--lest the fumes and ill savours that would
arise from them might infect the air, and so annoy the famous town
of Mansoul. This also was a reason of this order, namely, that, as
much as in Mansoul lay, they might cut off the name, and being, and
remembrance of those enemies from the thought of the famous town of
Mansoul and its inhabitants.
So order was given out by the Lord Mayor, that wise and trusty
friend of the town of Mansoul, that persons should be employed
about this necessary business; and Mr. Godly-Fear, and one Mr.
Upright, were to be overseers about this matter: so persons were
put under them to work in the fields, and to bury the slain that
lay dead in the plains. And these were their places of employment:
some were to make the graves, some to bury the dead, and some were
to go to and fro in the plains, and also round about the borders of
Mansoul, to see if a skull, or a bone, or a piece of a bone of a
doubter, was yet to be found above ground anywhere near the
corporation; and if any were found, it was ordered, that the
searchers that searched should set up a mark thereby, and a sign,
that those that were appointed to bury them might find it, and bury
it out of sight, that the name and remembrance of a Diabolonian
doubter might be blotted out from under heaven; and that the
children, and they that were to be born in Mansoul, might not know,
if possible, what a skull, what a bone, or a piece of a bone of a
doubter was. So the buriers, and those that were appointed for
that purpose, did as they were commanded: they buried the
doubters, and all the skulls and bones, and pieces of bones of
doubters, wherever they found them; and so they cleansed the
plains. Now also Mr. God's-Peace took up his commission, and acted
again as in former days.
Thus they buried in the plains about Mansoul the election doubters,
the vocation doubters, the grace doubters, the perseverance
doubters, the resurrection doubters, the salvation doubters, and
the glory doubters; whose captains were Captain Rage, Captain
Cruel, Captain Damnation, Captain Insatiable, Captain Brimstone,
Captain Torment, Captain No-Ease, Captain Sepulchre, and Captain
Past-Hope; and old Incredulity was, under Diabolus, their general.
There were also the seven heads of their army; and they were the
Lord Beelzebub, the Lord Lucifer, the Lord Legion, the Lord
Apollyon, the Lord Python, the Lord Cerberus, and the Lord Belial.
But the princes and the captains, with old Incredulity, their
general, did all of them make their escape: so their men fell down
slain by the power of the Prince's forces, and by the hands of the
men of the town of Mansoul. They also were buried as is afore
related, to the exceeding great joy of the now famous town of
Mansoul. They that buried them buried also with them their arms,
which were cruel instruments of death: (their weapons were arrows,
darts, mauls, firebrands, and the like). They buried also their
armour, their colours, banners, with the standard of Diabolus, and
what else soever they could find that did but smell of a
Diabolonian doubter.
Now when the tyrant had arrived at Hell-Gate Hill, with his old
friend Incredulity, they immediately descended the den, and having
there with their fellows for a while condoled their misfortune and
great loss that they sustained against the town of Mansoul, they
fell at length into a passion, and revenged they would be for the
loss that they sustained before the town of Mansoul. Wherefore
they presently call a council to contrive yet further what was to
be done against the famous town of Mansoul; for their yawning
paunches could not wait to see the result of their Lord Lucifer's
and their Lord Apollyon's counsel that they had given before; for
their raging gorge thought every day, even as long as a short for
ever, until they were filled with the body and soul, with the flesh
and bones, and with all the delicates of Mansoul. They therefore
resolve to make another attempt upon the town of Mansoul, and that
by an army mixed and made up partly of doubters, and partly of
blood-men. A more particular account now take of both.
The doubters are such as have their name from their nature, as well
as from the land and kingdom where they are born: their nature is
to put a question upon every one of the truths of Emmanuel; and
their country is called the land of Doubting, and that land lieth
off, and farthest remote to the north, between the land of Darkness
and that called the 'valley of the shadow of death.' For though
the land of Darkness, and that called 'the valley of the shadow of
death,' be sometimes called as if they were one and the self-same
place, yet indeed they are two, lying but a little way asunder, and
the land of Doubting points in, and lieth between them. This is
the land of Doubting; and these that came with Diabolus to ruin the
town of Mansoul are the natives of that country.
The blood-men are a people that have their name derived from the
malignity of their nature, and from the fury that is in them to
execute it upon the town of Mansoul: their land lieth under the
dog-star, and by that they are governed as to their intellectuals.
The name of their country is the province of Loath-good: the
remote parts of it are far distant from the land of Doubting, yet
they do both butt and bound upon the hill called Hell-Gate Hill.
These people are always in league with the doubters, for they
jointly do make question of the faith and fidelity of the men of
the town of Mansoul, and so are both alike qualified for the
service of their prince.
Now of these two countries did Diabolus, by the beating of his
drum, raise another army against the town of Mansoul, of five-and-
twenty thousand strong. There were ten thousand doubters, and
fifteen thousand blood-men, and they were put under several
captains for the war; and old Incredulity was again made general of
the army.
As for the doubters, their captains were five of the seven that
were heads of the last Diabolonian army, and these are their names:
Captain Beelzebub, Captain Lucifer, Captain Apollyon, Captain
Legion, and Captain Cerberus; and the captains that they had before
were some of them made lieutenants, and some ensigns of the army.
But Diabolus did not count that, in this expedition of his, these
doubters would prove his principal men, for their manhood had been
tried before; also the Mansoulians had put them to the worst: only
he did bring them to multiply a number, and to help, if need was,
at a pinch. But his trust he put in his blood-men, for that they
were all rugged villains, and he knew that they had done feats
heretofore.
As for the blood-men, they also were under command and the names of
their captains were, Captain Cain, Captain Nimrod, Captain Ishmael,
Captain Esau, Captain Saul, Captain Absalom, Captain Judas, and
Captain Pope.
1. Captain Cain was over two bands, namely, the zealous and the
angry blood-men: his standard-bearer bare the red colours, and his
scutcheon was the murdering club.
2. Captain Nimrod was captain over two bands, namely, the
tyrannical and encroaching blood-men: his standard-bearer bare the
red colours, and his scutcheon was the great bloodhound.
3. Captain Ishmael was captain over two bands, namely, the mocking
and scorning blood-men: his standard-bearer bare the red colours,
and his scutcheon was one mocking at Abraham's Isaac.
4. Captain Esau was captain over two bands, namely, the blood-men
that grudged that another should have the blessing; also over the
blood-men that are for executing their private revenge upon others:
his standard-bearer bare the red colours, and his scutcheon was one
privately lurking to murder Jacob.
5. Captain Saul was captain over two bands, namely, the
groundlessly jealous and the devilishly furious blood-men: his
standard-bearer bare the red colours, and his scutcheon was three
bloody darts cast at harmless David.
6. Captain Absalom was captain over two bands, namely, over the
blood-men that will kill a father or a friend for the glory of this
world; also over those blood-men that will hold one fair in hand
with words, till they shall have pierced him with their swords:
his standard-bearer did bear the red colours, and his scutcheon was
the son pursuing the father's blood.
7. Captain Judas was over two bands, namely, the blood-men that
will sell a man's life for money, and those also that will betray
their friend with a kiss: his standard-bearer bare the red
colours, and his scutcheon was thirty pieces of silver and the
halter.
8. Captain Pope was captain over one band, for all these spirits
are joined in one under him: his standard-bearer bare the red
colours, and his scutcheon was the stake, the flame, and the good
man in it.
Now, the reason why Diabolus did so soon rally another force, after
he had been beaten out of the field, was, for that he put mighty
confidence in this army of blood-men; for he put a great deal of
more trust in them than he did before in his army of doubters;
though they had also often done great service for him in the
strengthening of him in his kingdom. But these blood-men, he had
proved them often, and their sword did seldom return empty.
Besides, he knew that these, like mastiffs, would fasten upon any;
upon father, mother, brother, sister, prince, or governor, yea upon
the Prince of princes. And that which encouraged him the more was,
for that they once did force Emmanuel out of the kingdom of
Universe; 'And why,' thought he, 'may they not also drive him from
the town of Mansoul?'
So this army of five-and-twenty thousand strong was, by their
general, the great Lord Incredulity, led up against the town of
Mansoul. Now Mr. Prywell, the scoutmaster-general, did himself go
out to spy, and he did bring Mansoul tidings of their coming.
Wherefore they shut up their gates, and put themselves in a posture
of defence against these new Diabolonians that came up against the
town.
So Diabolus brought up his army, and beleaguered the town of
Mansoul; the doubters were placed about Feel-gate, and the blood-
men set down before Eye-gate and Ear-gate.
Now when this army had thus encamped themselves, Incredulity did,
in the name of Diabolus, his own name, and in the name of the
blood-men and the rest that were with him, send a summons as hot as
a red-hot iron to Mansoul, to yield to their demands; threatening,
that if they still stood it out against them, they would presently
burn down Mansoul with fire. For you must know that, as for the
blood-men, they were not so much that Mansoul should be
surrendered, as that Mansoul should be destroyed, and cut off out
of the land of the living. True, they send to them to surrender;
but should they so do, that would not stench or quench the thirsts
of these men. They must have blood, the blood of Mansoul, else
they die; and it is from hence that they have their name.
Wherefore these blood-men he reserved while now that they might,
when all his engines proved ineffectual, as his last and sure card
be played against the town of Mansoul.
Now, when the townsmen had received this red-hot summons, it begat
in them at present some changing and interchanging thoughts; but
they jointly agreed, in less than half an hour, to carry the
summons to the Prince, the which they did when they had writ at the
bottom of it, 'Lord, save Mansoul from bloody men!'
So he took it, and looked upon it, and considered it, and took
notice also of that short petition that the men of Mansoul had
written at the bottom of it, and called to him the noble Captain
Credence, and bid him go and take Captain Patience with him, and go
and take care of that side of Mansoul that was beleaguered by the
blood-men. So they went and did as they were commanded: the
Captain Credence went and took Captain Patience, and they both
secured that side of Mansoul that was besieged by the blood-men.
Then he commanded that Captain Good-hope and Captain Charity, and
my Lord Willbewill, should take charge of the other side of the
town. 'And I,' said the Prince, 'will set my standard upon the
battlements of your castle, and do you three watch against the
doubters.' This done, he again commanded that the brave captain,
the Captain Experience, should draw up his men in the market-place,
and that there he should exercise them day by day before the people
of the town of Mansoul. Now this siege was long, and many a fierce
attempt did the enemy, especially those called the blood-men, make
upon the town of Mansoul; and many a shrewd brush did some of the
townsmen meet with from them, especially Captain Self-Denial, who,
I should have told you before, was commanded to take the care of
Ear-gate and Eye-gate now against the blood-men. This Captain
Self-Denial was a young man, but stout, and a townsman in Mansoul,
as Captain Experience also was. And Emmanuel, at his second return
to Mansoul, made him a captain over a thousand of the Mansoulians,
for the good of the corporation. This captain, therefore, being an
hardy man, and a man of great courage, and willing to venture
himself for the good of the town of Mansoul, would now and then
sally out upon the blood-men, and give them many notable alarms,
and entered several brisk skirmishes with them, and also did some
execution upon them; but you must think that this could not easily
be done, but he must meet with brushes himself, for he carried
several of their marks in his face; yea, and some in some other
parts of his body.
So, after some time spent for the trial of the faith, and hope, and
love of the town of Mansoul, the Prince Emmanuel upon a day calls
his captains and men of war together, and divides them into two
companies; this done, he commands them at a time appointed, and
that in the morning very early, to sally out upon the enemy,
saying: 'Let half of you fall upon the doubters, and half of you
fall upon the blood-men. Those of you that go out against the
doubters, kill and slay, and cause to perish so many of them as by
any means you can lay hands on; but for you that go out against the
blood-men, slay them not, but take them alive.'
So, at the time appointed, betimes in the morning, the captains
went out as they were commanded, against the enemies. Captain
Good-Hope, Captain Charity, and those that were joined with them,
as Captain Innocent and Captain Experience, went out against the
doubters; and Captain Credence, and Captain Patience, with Captain
Self-Denial, and the rest that were to join with them, went out
against the blood-men.
Now, those that went out against the doubters drew up into a body
before the plain, and marched on to bid them battle. But the
doubters, remembering their last success, made a retreat, not
daring to stand the shock, but fled from the Prince's men;
wherefore they pursued them, and in their pursuit slew many, but
they could not catch them all. Now those that escaped went some of
them home; and the rest by fives, nines, and seventeens, like
wanderers, went straggling up and down the country, where they upon
the barbarous people showed and exercised many of their Diabolonian
actions: nor did these people rise up in arms against them, but
suffered themselves to be enslaved by them. They would also after
this show themselves in companies before the town of Mansoul, but
never to abide in it; for if Captain Credence, Captain Good-Hope,
or Captain Experience did but show themselves, they fled.
Those that went out against the blood-men did as they were
commanded: they forbore to slay any, but sought to compass them
about. But the blood-men, when they saw that no Emmanuel was in
the field, concluded also that no Emmanuel was in Mansoul;
wherefore they, looking upon what the captains did to be, as they
called it, a fruit of the extravagancy of their wild and foolish
fancies, rather despised them than feared them. But the captains,
minding their business, at last did compass them round; they also
that had routed the doubters came in amain to their aid: so, in
fine, after some little struggling, (for the blood-men also would
have run for it, only now it was too late; for though they are
mischievous and cruel, where they can overcome, yet all blood-men
are chicken-hearted men, when they once come to see themselves
matched and equalled,)--so the captains took them, and brought them
to the Prince.
Now when they were taken, had before the Prince, and examined, he
found them to be of three several counties, though they all came
out of one land.
1. One sort of them came out of Blind-man-shire, and they were such
as did ignorantly what they did.
2. Another sort of them came out of Blind-zeal-shire, and they did
superstitiously what they did.
3. The third sort of them came out of the town of Malice, in the
county of Envy, and they did what they did out of spite and
implacableness.
For the first of these, namely, they that came out of Blind-man-
shire, when they saw where they were, and against whom they had
fought, they trembled and cried, as they stood before him; and as
many of these as asked him mercy, he touched their lips with his
golden sceptre.
They that came out of Blind-zeal-shire, they did not as their
fellows did; for they pleaded that they had a right to do what they
did, because Mansoul was a town whose laws and customs were diverse
from all that dwelt thereabouts. Very few of these could be
brought to see their evil; but those that did, and asked mercy,
they also obtained favour.
Now, they that came out of the town of Malice, that is in the
county of Envy, they neither wept, nor disputed, nor repented, but
stood gnawing their tongues before him for anguish and madness,
because they could not have their will upon Mansoul. Now these
last, with all those of the other two sorts that did not
unfeignedly ask pardon for their faults,--those he made to enter
into sufficient bond to answer for what they had done against
Mansoul, and against her King, at the great and general assizes to
be holden for our Lord the King, where he himself should appoint
for the country and kingdom of Universe. So they became bound each
man for himself, to come in, when called upon, to answer before our
Lord the King for what they had done as before.
And thus much concerning this second army that was sent by Diabolus
to overthrow Mansoul.
But there were three of those that came from the land of Doubting,
who, after they had wandered and ranged the country a while, and
perceived that they had escaped, were so hardy as to thrust
themselves, knowing that yet there were in the town Diabolonians,--
I say, they were so hardy as to thrust themselves into Mansoul
among them. (Three, did I say? I think there were four.) Now, to
whose house should these Diabolonian doubters go, but to the house
of an old Diabolonian in Mansoul, whose name was Evil-Questioning,
a very great enemy he was to Mansoul, and a great doer among the
Diabolonians there. Well, to this Evil-Questioning's house, as was
said, did these Diabolonians come (you may be sure that they had
directions how to find the way thither), so he made them welcome,
pitied their misfortune, and succoured them with the best that he
had in his house. Now, after a little acquaintance (and it was not
long before they had that), this old Evil-Questioning asked the
doubters if they were all of a town (he knew that they were all of
one kingdom), and they answered: 'No, nor not of one shire
neither; for I,' said one, 'am an election doubter:' 'I,' said
another, 'am a vocation doubter:' then said the third, 'I am a
salvation doubter:' and the fourth said he was a grace doubter.
'Well,' quoth the old gentleman, 'be of what shire you will, I am
persuaded that you are down, boys: you have the very length of my
foot, are one with my heart, and shall be welcome to me.' So they
thanked him, and were glad that they had found themselves an
harbour in Mansoul.
Then said Evil-Questioning to them: 'How many of your company
might there be that came with you to the siege of Mansoul?' and
they answered: 'There were but ten thousand doubters in all, for
the rest of the army consisted of fifteen thousand blood-men.
These blood-men,' quoth they, 'border upon our country; but, poor
men! as we hear, they were every one taken by Emmanuel's forces.'
'Ten thousand!' quoth the old gentleman; 'I will promise you, that
is a round company. But how came it to pass, since you were so
mighty a number, that you fainted, and durst not fight your foes?'
'Our general,' said they, 'was the first man that did run for it.'
'Pray,' quoth their landlord, 'who was that, your cowardly
general?' 'He was once the Lord Mayor of Mansoul,' said they:
'but pray call him not a cowardly general; for whether any from the
east to the west has done more service for our prince Diabolus,
than has my Lord Incredulity, will be a hard question for you to
answer. But had they catched him, they would for certain have
hanged him; and we promise you, hanging is but a bad business.'
Then said the old gentleman, 'I would that all the ten thousand
doubters were now well armed in Mansoul, and myself at the head of
them; I would see what I could do.' 'Ay,' said they, 'that would
be well if we could see that; but wishes, alas! what are they?' and
these words were spoken aloud. 'Well,' said old Evil-Questioning,
'take heed that you talk not too loud; you must be quat and close,
and must take care of yourselves while you are here, or, I will
assure you, you will be snapped.' 'Why?' quoth the doubters.
'Why!' quoth the old gentleman; 'why! because both the Prince and
Lord Secretary, and their captains and soldiers, are all at present
in town; yea, the town is as full of them as ever it can hold. And
besides, there is one whose name is Willbewill, a most cruel enemy
of ours, and him the Prince has made keeper of the gates, and has
commanded him that, with all the diligence he can, he should look
for, search out, and destroy all, and all manner of Diabolonians.
And if he lighteth upon you, down you go, though your heads were
made of gold.'
And now, to see how it happened, one of the Lord Willbewill's
faithful soldiers, whose name was Mr. Diligence, stood all this
while listening under old Evil-Questioning's eaves, and heard all
the talk that had been betwixt him and the doubters that he
entertained under his roof.
The soldier was a man that my lord had much confidence in, and that
he loved dearly; and that both because he was a man of courage, and
also a man that was unwearied in seeking after Diabolonians to
apprehend them.
Now this man, as I told you, heard all the talk that was between
old Evil-Questioning and these Diabolonians; wherefore what does he
but goes to his lord, and tells him what he had heard. 'And sayest
thou so, my trusty?' quoth my lord. 'Ay,' quoth Diligence, 'that I
do; and if your lordship will be pleased to go with me, you shall
find it as I have said.' 'And are they there?' quoth my lord. 'I
know Evil-Questioning well, for he and I were great in the time of
our apostasy: but I know not now where he dwells.' 'But I do,'
said his man, 'and if your lordship will go, I will lead you the
way to his den.' 'Go!' quoth my lord, 'that I will. Come, my
Diligence, let us go find them out.'
So my lord and his man went together the direct way to his house.
Now his man went before to show him his way, and they went till
they came even under old Mr. Evil-Questioning's wall. Then said
Diligence, 'Hark! my lord, do you know the old gentleman's tongue
when you hear it?' 'Yes,' said my lord, 'I know it well, but I
have not seen him many a day. This I know, he is cunning; I wish
he doth not give us the slip.' 'Let me alone for that,' said his
servant Diligence. 'But how shall we find the door?' quoth my
lord. 'Let me alone for that, too,' said his man. So he had my
Lord Willbewill about, and showed him the way to the door. Then my
lord, without more ado, broke open the door, rushed into the house,
and caught them all five together, even as Diligence his man had
told him. So my lord apprehended them, and led them away, and
committed them to the hand of Mr. Trueman, the gaoler, and
commanded, and he did put them in ward. This done, my Lord Mayor
was acquainted in the morning with what my Lord Willbewill had done
over night, and his lordship rejoiced much at the news, not only
because there were doubters apprehended, but because that old Evil-
Questioning was taken; for he had been a very great trouble to
Mansoul, and much affliction to my Lord Mayor himself. He had also
been sought for often, but no hand could ever be laid upon him till
now.
Well, the next thing was to make preparation to try these five that
by my lord had been apprehended, and that were in the hands of Mr.
Trueman, the gaoler. So the day was set, and the court called and
come together, and the prisoners brought to the bar. My Lord
Willbewill had power to have slain them when at first he took them,
and that without any more ado; but he thought it at this time more
for the honour of the Prince, the comfort of Mansoul, and the
discouragement of the enemy, to bring them forth to public
judgment.
But, I say, Mr. Trueman brought them in chains to the bar; to the
town-hall, for that was the place of judgment. So, to be short,
the jury was panelled, the witnesses sworn, and the prisoners tried
for their lives: the jury was the same that tried Mr. No-Truth,
Pitiless, Haughty, and the rest of their companions.
And, first, old Questioning himself was set to the bar for he was
the receiver, the entertainer, and comforter of these doubters,
that by nation were outlandish men: then he was bid to hearken to
his charge, and was told that he had liberty to object, if he had
ought to say for himself. So his indictment was read: the manner
and form here follows.
'Mr. Questioning, Thou art here indicted by the name of Evil-
Questioning, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou
art a Diabolonian by nature, and also a hater of the Prince
Emmanuel, and one that hast studied the ruin of the town of
Mansoul. Thou art also here indicted for countenancing the King's
enemies, after wholesome laws made to the contrary: for, 1. Thou
hast questioned the truth of her doctrine and state: 2. In wishing
that ten thousand doubters were in her: 3. In receiving, in
entertaining, and encouraging of her enemies, that came from their
army unto thee. What sayest thou to this indictment? art thou
guilty or not guilty?'
'My lord,' quoth he, 'I know not the meaning of this indictment,
forasmuch as I am not the man concerned in it; the man that
standeth by this charge accused before this bench is called by the
name of Evil-Questioning, which name I deny to be mine, mine being
Honest-Inquiry. The one indeed sounds like the other; but, I trow,
your lordships know that between these two there is a wide
difference; for I hope that a man, even in the worst of times, and
that, too, amongst the worst of men, may make an honest inquiry
after things, without running the danger of death.'
Then spake my Lord Willbewill, for he was one of the witnesses:
'My lord, and you the honourable bench and magistrates of the town
of Mansoul, you all have heard with your ears that the prisoner at
the bar has denied his name, and so thinks to shift from the charge
of the indictment. But I know him to be the man concerned, and
that his proper name is Evil-Questioning. I have known him, my
lord, above these thirty years, for he and I (a shame it is for me
to speak it) were great acquaintance, when Diabolus, that tyrant,
had the government of Mansoul; and I testify that he is a
Diabolonian by nature, an enemy to our Prince, and a hater of the
blessed town of Mansoul. He has, in times of rebellion, been at
and lain in my house, my lord, not so little as twenty nights
together, and we did use to talk then, for the substance of talk,
as he and his doubters have talked of late: true, I have not seen
him many a day. I suppose that the coming of Emmanuel to Mansoul
has made him change his lodgings, as this indictment has driven him
to change his name; but this is the man, my lord.'
Then said the court unto him, 'Hast thou any more to say?'
'Yes,' quoth the old gentleman, 'that I have; for all that as yet
has been said against me, is but by the mouth of one witness; and
it is not lawful for the famous town of Mansoul, at the mouth of
one witness, to put any man to death.'
Then stood forth Mr. Diligence, and said, 'My lord, as I was upon
my watch such a night at the head of Bad Street, in this town, I
chanced to hear a muttering within this gentleman's house. Then,
thought I, what is to do here? So I went up close, but very
softly, to the side of the house to listen, thinking, as indeed it
fell out, that there I might light upon some Diabolonian
conventicle. So, as I said, I drew nearer and nearer; and when I
was got up close to the wall, it was but a while before I perceived
that there were outlandish men in the house; but I did well
understand their speech, for I have been a traveller myself. Now,
hearing such language in such a tottering cottage as this old
gentleman dwelt in, I clapped mine ear to a hole in the window, and
there heard them talk as followeth. This old Mr. Questioning asked
these doubters what they were, whence they came, and what was their
business in these parts; and they told him to all these questions,
yet he did entertain them. He also asked what numbers there were
of them; and they told him ten thousand men. He then asked them,
why they made no more manly assault upon Mansoul; and they told
him: so he called their general coward, for marching off when he
should have fought for his prince. Further, this old Evil-
Questioning wished, and I heard him wish, would all the ten
thousand doubters were now in Mansoul, and himself at the head of
them. He bid them also to take heed and lie quat; for if they were
taken they must die, although they had heads of gold.' Then said
the court: 'Mr. Evil-Questioning, here is now another witness
against you, and his testimony is full: 1. He swears that you did
receive these men into your house, and that you did nourish them
there, though you knew that they were Diabolonians, and the King's
enemies. 2. He swears that you did wish ten thousand of them in
Mansoul. 3. He swears that you did give them advice to be quat and
close, lest they were taken by the King's servants. All which
manifesteth that thou art a Diabolonian; but hadst thou been a
friend to the King, thou wouldst have apprehended them.'
Then said Evil-Questioning: 'To the first of these I answer, The
men that came into mine house were strangers, and I took them in;
and is it now become a crime in Mansoul for a man to entertain
strangers? That I did also nourish them is true; and why should my
charity be blamed? As for the reason why I wished ten thousand of
them in Mansoul, I never told it to the witnesses, nor to
themselves. I might wish them to be taken, and so my wish might
mean well to Mansoul, for aught that any yet knows. I did also bid
them take heed that they fell not into the captains' hands; but
that might be because I am unwilling that any man should be slain,
and not because I would have the King's enemies as such escape.'
My Lord Mayor then replied: 'That though it was a virtue to
entertain strangers, yet it was treason to entertain the King's
enemies. And for what else thou hast said, thou dost by words but
labour to evade and defer the execution of judgment. But could
there be no more proved against thee but that thou art a
Diabolonian, thou must for that die the death by the law; but to be
a receiver, a nourisher, a countenancer, and a harbourer of others
of them, yea, of outlandish Diabolonians, yea, of them that came
from far on purpose to cut off and destroy our Mansoul--this must
not be borne.'
Then said Evil-Questioning: 'I see how the game will go: I must
die for my name, and for my charity.' And so he held his peace.
Then they called the outlandish doubters to the bar, and the first
of them that was arraigned was the election doubter. So his
indictment was read; and because he was an outlandish man, the
substance of it was told him by an interpreter; namely, 'That he
was there charged with being an enemy of Emmanuel the Prince, a
hater of the town of Mansoul, and an opposer of her most wholesome
doctrine.'
Then the judge asked him if he would plead? but he said only this--
That he confessed that he was an election doubter, and that that
was the religion that he had ever been brought up in. And said,
moreover, 'If I must die for my religion, I trow, I shall die a
martyr, and so I care the less.'
Judge. Then it was replied: 'To question election, is to
overthrow a great doctrine of the gospel, namely, the omnisciency,
and power, and will of God; to take away the liberty of God with
his creature, to stumble the faith of the town of Mansoul, and to
make salvation to depend upon works, and not upon grace. It also
belied the word, and disquieted the minds of the men of Mansoul;
therefore by the best of laws he must die.'
Then was the vocation doubter called, and set to the bar; and his
indictment for substance was the same with the other, only he was
particularly charged with denying the calling of Mansoul.
The judge asked him also what he had to say for himself?
So he replied: 'That he never believed that there was any such
thing as a distinct and powerful call of God to Mansoul; otherwise
than by the general voice of the word, nor by that neither,
otherwise than as it exhorted them to forbear evil, and to do that
which is good, and in so doing a promise of happiness is annexed.'
Then said the judge: 'Thou art a Diabolonian, and hast denied a
great part of one of the most experimental truths of the Prince of
the town of Mansoul; for he has called, and she has heard a most
distinct and powerful call of her Emmanuel, by which she has been
quickened, awakened, and possessed with heavenly grace to desire to
have communion with her Prince, to serve him, and to do his will,
and to look for her happiness merely of his good pleasure. And for
thine abhorrence of this good doctrine, thou must die the death.'
Then the grace doubter was called, and his indictment was read and
he replied thereto: 'That though he was of the land of doubting,
his father was the offspring of a Pharisee, and lived in good
fashion among his neighbours, and that he taught him to believe,
and believe it I do, and will, that Mansoul shall never be saved
freely by grace.'
Then said the judge: 'Why, the law of the Prince is plain: 1.
Negatively, "not of works:" 2. Positively, "by grace you are
saved." And thy religion settleth in and upon the works of the
flesh; for the works of the law are the works of the flesh.
Besides, in saying as thou hast done, thou hast robbed God of His
glory, and given it to a sinful man; thou hast robbed Christ of the
necessity of His undertaking, and the sufficiency thereof, and hast
given both these to the works of the flesh. Thou hast despised the
work of the Holy Ghost, and hast magnified the will of the flesh,
and of the legal mind. Thou art a Diabolonian, the son of a
Diabolonian; and for thy Diabolonian principles thou must die.'
The court then, having proceeded thus far with them, sent out the
jury, who forthwith brought them in guilty of death. Then stood up
the Recorder, and addressed himself to the prisoners: 'You, the
prisoners at the bar, you have been here indicted, and proved
guilty of high crimes against Emmanuel our Prince, and against the
welfare of the famous town of Mansoul, crimes for which you must be
put to death, and die ye accordingly.' So they were sentenced to
the death of the cross. The place assigned them for execution, was
that where Diabolus drew up his last army against Mansoul; save
only that old Evil-Questioning was hanged at the top of Bad Street,
just over against his own door.
When the town of Mansoul had thus far rid themselves of their
enemies, and of the troublers of their peace, in the next place a
strict commandment was given out, that yet my Lord Willbewill
should, with Diligence his man, search for, and do his best to
apprehend what town Diabolonians were yet left alive in Mansoul.
The names of several of them were, Mr. Fooling, Mr. Let-Good-Slip,
Mr. Slavish-Fear, Mr. No-Love, Mr. Mistrust, Mr. Flesh, and Mr.
Sloth. It was also commanded, that he should apprehend Mr. Evil-
Questioning's children, that he left behind him, and that they
should demolish his house. The children that he left behind him
were these: Mr. Doubt, and he was his eldest son; the next to him
was Legal-Life, Unbelief, Wrong-Thoughts-of-Christ, Clip-Promise,
Carnal-Sense, Live-by-Feeling, Self-Love. All these he had by one
wife, and her name was No-Hope; she was the kinswoman of old
Incredulity, for he was her uncle; and when her father, old Dark,
was dead, he took her and brought her up, and when she was
marriageable, he gave her to this old Evil-Questioning to wife.
Now the Lord Willbewill did put into execution his commission, with
great Diligence, his man. He took Fooling in the streets, and
hanged him up in Want-wit-Alley, over against his own house. This
Fooling was he that would have had the town of Mansoul deliver up
Captain Credence into the hands of Diabolus, provided that then he
would have withdrawn his force out of the town. He also took Mr.
Let-Good-Slip one day as he was busy in the market, and executed
him according to law. Now there was an honest poor man in Mansoul,
and his name was Mr. Meditation, one of no great account in the
days of apostasy, but now of repute with the best of the town.
This man, therefore, they were willing to prefer. Now Mr. Let-
Good-Slip had a great deal of wealth heretofore in Mansoul, and, at
Emmanuel's coming, it was sequestered to the use of the Prince:
this, therefore, was now given to Mr. Meditation, to improve for
the common good, and after him to his son, Mr. Think-Well; this
Think-Well he had by Mrs. Piety his wife, and she was the daughter
of Mr. Recorder.
After this, my lord apprehended Clip-Promise: now because he was a
notorious villain, for by his doings much of the King's coin was
abused, therefore he was made a public example. He was arraigned
and judged to be first set in the pillory, then to be whipped by
all the children and servants in Mansoul, and then to be hanged
till he was dead. Some may wonder at the severity of this man's
punishment; but those that are honest traders in Mansoul, are
sensible of the great abuse that one clipper of promises in little
time may do to the town of Mansoul. And truly my judgment is, that
all those of his name and life should be served even as he.
He also apprehended Carnal-Sense, and put him in hold; but how it
came about, I cannot tell, but he brake prison, and made his
escape: yea, and the bold villain will not yet quit the town, but
lurks in the Diabolonian dens a days, and haunts like a ghost
honest men's houses a nights. Wherefore, there was a proclamation
set up in the market-place in Mansoul, signifying that whosoever
could discover Carnal-Sense, and apprehend him and slay him, should
be admitted daily to the Prince's table, and should be made keeper
of the treasure of Mansoul. Many, therefore, did bend themselves
to do this thing, but take him and slay him they could not, though
often he was discovered.
But my lord took Mr. Wrong-Thoughts-of-Christ, and put him in
prison, and he died there; though it was long first, for he died of
a lingering consumption.
Self-Love was also taken and committed to custody; but there were
many that were allied to him in Mansoul, so his judgment was
deferred. But at last Mr. Self-Denial stood up, and said: 'If
such villains as these may be winked at in Mansoul, I will lay down
my commission.' He also took him from the crowd, and had him among
his soldiers, and there he was brained. But some in Mansoul
muttered at it, though none durst speak plainly, because Emmanuel
was in town. But this brave act of Captain Self-Denial came to the
Prince's ears; so he sent for him, and made him a lord in Mansoul.
My Lord Willbewill also obtained great commendations of Emmanuel,
for what he had done for the town of Mansoul.
Then my Lord Self-Denial took courage, and set to the pursuing of
the Diabolonians, with my Lord Willbewill; and they took Live-by-
Feeling, and they took Legal-Life, and put them in hold till they
died. But Mr. Unbelief was a nimble Jack: him they could never
lay hold of, though they attempted to do it often. He therefore,
and some few more of the subtlest of the Diabolonian tribe, did yet
remain in Mansoul, to the time that Mansoul left off to dwell any
longer in the kingdom of Universe. But they kept them to their
dens and holes: if one of them did appear, or happen to be seen in
any of the streets of the town of Mansoul, the whole town would be
up in arms after them; yea, the very children in Mansoul would cry
out after them as after a thief, and would wish that they might
stone them to death with stones. And now did Mansoul arrive to
some good degree of peace and quiet; her Prince also did abide
within her borders; her captains, also, and her soldiers did their
duties; and Mansoul minded her trade that she had with the country
that was afar off; also she was busy in her manufacture.
When the town of Mansoul had thus far rid themselves of so many of
their enemies, and the troublers of their peace, the Prince sent to
them, and appointed a day wherein he would, at the market-place,
meet the whole people, and there give them in charge concerning
some further matters, that, if observed, would tend to their
further safety and comfort, and to the condemnation and destruction
of their home-bred Diabolonians. So the day appointed was come,
and the townsmen met together; Emmanuel also came down in his
chariot, and all his captains in their state attending him, on the
right hand and on the left. Then was an oyes made for silence,
and, after some mutual carriages of love, the Prince began, and
thus proceeded:-
'You, my Mansoul, and the beloved of mine heart, many and great are
the privileges that I have bestowed upon you; I have singled you
out from others, and have chosen you to myself, not for your
worthiness, but for mine own sake. I have also redeemed you, not
only from the dread of my Father's law, but from the hand of
Diabolus. This I have done because I loved you, and because I have
set my heart upon you to do you good. I have also, that all
things, that might hinder thy way to the pleasures of paradise
might be taken out of the way, laid down for thee for thy soul a
plenary satisfaction, and have bought thee to myself; a price not
of corruptible things, as of silver and gold, but a price of blood,
mine own blood, which I have freely spilled upon the ground to make
thee mine. So I have reconciled thee, O my Mansoul, to my Father,
and entrusted thee in the mansion houses that are with my Father in
the royal city, where things are, O my Mansoul, that eye hath not
seen, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive.
'Besides, O my Mansoul, thou seest what I have done, and how I have
taken thee out of the hands of thine enemies: unto whom thou hadst
deeply revolted from my Father, and by whom thou wast content to be
possessed, and also to be destroyed. I came to thee first by my
law, then by my gospel, to awaken thee, and show thee my glory.
And thou knowest what thou wast, what thou saidst, what thou didst,
and how many times thou rebelledst against my Father and me; yet I
left thee not as thou seest this day, but came to thee, have borne
thy manners, have waited upon thee, and, after all, accepted of
thee, even of my mere grace and favour; and would not suffer thee
to be lost, as thou most willingly wouldst have been. I also
compassed thee about, and afflicted thee on every side, that I
might make thee weary of thy ways, and bring down thy heart with
molestation to a willingness to close with thy good and happiness.
And when I had gotten a complete conquest over thee, I turned it to
thy advantage.
'Thou seest, also, what a company of my Father's host I have lodged
within thy borders: captains and rulers, soldiers and men of war,
engines and excellent devices to subdue and bring down thy foes;
thou knowest my meaning, O Mansoul. And they are my servants, and
thine, too, Mansoul. Yea, my design of possessing of thee with
them, and the natural tendency of each of them is to defend, purge,
strengthen, and sweeten thee for myself, O Mansoul, and to make
thee meet for my Father's presence, blessing, and glory; for thou,
my Mansoul, art created to be prepared unto these.
'Thou seest, moreover, my Mansoul, how I have passed by thy
backslidings, and have healed thee. Indeed I was angry with thee,
but I have turned mine anger away from thee, because I loved thee
still, and mine anger and mine indignation is ceased in the
destruction of thine enemies, O Mansoul. Nor did thy goodness
fetch me again unto thee, after that I for thy transgressions have
hid my face, and withdrawn my presence from thee. The way of
backsliding was thine, but the way and means of thy recovery was
mine. I invented the means of thy return; it was I that made an
hedge and a wall, when thou wast beginning to turn to things in
which I delighted not. It was I that made thy sweet bitter, thy
day night, thy smooth way thorny, and that also confounded all that
sought thy destruction. It was I that set Mr. Godly-Fear to work
in Mansoul. It was I that stirred up thy conscience and
understanding, thy will and thy affections, after thy great and
woful decay. It was I that put life into thee, O Mansoul, to seek
me, that thou mightest find me, and in thy finding find thine own
health, happiness, and salvation. It was I that fetched the second
time the Diabolonians out of Mansoul; and it was I that overcame
them, and that destroyed them before thy face.
'And now, my Mansoul, I am returned to thee in peace, and thy
transgressions against me are as if they had not been. Nor shall
it be with thee as in former days, but I will do better for thee
than at thy beginning.
For yet a little while, O my Mansoul, even after a few more times
are gone over thy head, I will (but be not thou troubled at what I
say) take down this famous town of Mansoul, stick and stone, to the
ground. And I will carry the stones thereof, and the timber
thereof, and the walls thereof, and the dust thereof, and the
inhabitants thereof, into mine own country, even into a kingdom of
my Father; and will there set it up in such strength and glory, as
it never did see in the kingdom where now it is placed. I will
even there set it up for my Father's habitation; for for that
purpose it was at first erected in the kingdom of Universe; and
there will I make it a spectacle of wonder, a monument of mercy,
and the admirer of its own mercy. There shall the natives of
Mansoul see all that, of which they have seen nothing here: there
shall they be equal to those unto whom they have been inferior
here. And there shalt thou, O my Mansoul, have such communion with
me, with my Father, and with your Lord Secretary, as it is not
possible here to be enjoyed, nor ever could be, shouldest thou live
in Universe the space of a thousand years.
'And there, O my Mansoul, thou shalt be afraid of murderers no
more; of Diabolonians, and their threats, no more. There, there
shall be no more plots, nor contrivances, nor designs against thee,
O my Mansoul. There thou shalt no more hear the evil-tidings, or
the noise of the Diabolonian drum. There thou shalt not see the
Diabolonian standard-bearers, nor yet behold Diabolus's standard.
No Diabolonian mount shall be cast up against thee there; nor shall
there the Diabolonian standard be set up to make thee afraid.
There thou shalt not need captains, engines, soldiers, and men of
war. There thou shalt meet with no sorrow, nor grief, nor shall it
be possible that any Diabolonian should again, for ever, be able to
creep into thy skirts, burrow in thy walls, or be seen again within
thy borders all the days of eternity. Life shall there last longer
than here you are able to desire it should; and yet it shall always
be sweet and new, nor shall any impediment attend it for ever.
'There, O Mansoul, thou shalt meet with many of those that have
been like thee, and that have been partakers of thy sorrows; even
such as I have chosen, and redeemed, and set apart, as thou, for my
Father's court and city-royal. All they will be glad in thee, and
thou, when thou seest them, shalt be glad in thine heart.
'There are things, O Mansoul, even things of my Father's providing,
and mine, that never were seen since the beginning of the world;
and they are laid up with my Father, and sealed up among his
treasures for thee, till thou shalt come thither to enjoy them. I
told you before, that I would remove my Mansoul, and set it up
elsewhere; and where I will set it, there are those that love thee,
and those that rejoice in thee now; but how much more, when they
shall see thee exalted to honour! My Father will then send them
for you to fetch you; and their bosoms are chariots to put you in.
And you, O my Mansoul, shall ride upon the wings of the wind. They
will come to convey, conduct, and bring you to that, when your eyes
see more, that will be your desired haven.
'And thus, O my Mansoul, I have showed unto thee what shall be done
to thee hereafter, if thou canst hear, if thou canst understand;
and now I will tell thee what at present must be thy duty and
practice, until I come and fetch thee to myself, according as is
related in the Scriptures of truth.
'First, I charge thee that thou dost hereafter keep more white and
clean the liveries which I gave thee before my last withdrawing
from thee. Do it, I say, for this will be thy wisdom. They are in
themselves fine linen, but thou must keep them white and clean.
This will be your wisdom, your honour, and will be greatly for my
glory. When your garments are white, the world will count you
mine. Also, when your garments are white, then I am delighted in
your ways; for then your goings to and fro will be like a flash of
lightning, that those that are present must take notice of; also
their eyes will be made to dazzle thereat. Deck thyself,
therefore, according to my bidding, and make thyself by my law
straight steps for thy feet; so shall thy King greatly desire thy
beauty, for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him.
'Now, that thou mayest keep them as I bid thee, I have, as I before
did tell thee, provided for thee an open fountain to wash thy
garments in. Look, therefore, that thou wash often in my fountain,
and go not in defiled garments; for as it is to my dishonour and my
disgrace, so it will be to thy discomfort, when you shall walk in
filthy garments. Let not, therefore, my garments, your garments,
the garments that I gave thee, be defiled or spotted by the flesh.
Keep thy garments always white, and let thy head lack no ointment.
'My Mansoul, I have ofttimes delivered thee from the designs,
plots, attempts, and conspiracies of Diabolus; and for all this I
ask thee nothing, but that thou render not to me evil for my good;
but that thou bear in mind my love, and the continuation of my
kindness to my beloved Mansoul, so as to provoke thee to walk in
thy measure according to the benefit bestowed on thee. Of old, the
sacrifices were bound with coords to the horns of the altar.
Consider what is said to thee, O my blessed Mansoul.
'O my Mansoul, I have lived, I have died, I live, and will die no
more for thee. I live, that thou mayest not die. Because I live,
thou shalt live also. I reconciled thee to my Father by the blood
of my cross; and being reconciled, thou shalt live through me. I
will pray for thee; I will fight for thee; I will yet do thee good.
'Nothing can hurt thee but sin; nothing can grieve me but sin;
nothing can make thee base before thy foes but sin: take heed of
sin, my Mansoul.
'And dost thou know why I at first, and do still, suffer
Diabolonians to dwell in thy walls, O Mansoul? It is to keep thee
wakening, to try thy love, to make thee watchful, and to cause thee
yet to prize my noble captains, their soldiers, and my mercy.
'It is also, that yet thou mayest be made to remember what a
deplorable condition thou once wast in. I mean when, not some, but
all did dwell, not in thy walls, but in thy castle, and in thy
stronghold, O Mansoul.
'O my Mansoul, should I slay all them within, many there be
without, that would bring thee into bondage; for were all these
within cut off, those without would find thee sleeping; and then,
as in a moment, they would swallow up my Mansoul. I therefore left
them in thee, not to do thee hurt (the which they yet will, if thou
hearken to them, and serve them,) but to do thee good, the which
they must, if thou watch and fight against them. Know, therefore,
that whatever they shall tempt thee to, my design is, that they
should drive thee, not further off, but nearer to my father, to
learn thee war, to make petitioning desirable to thee, and to make
thee little in thine own eyes. Hearken diligently to this, my
Mansoul.
'Show me, then, thy love, my Mansoul, and let not those that are
within thy walls, take thy affections off from him that hath
redeemed thy soul. Yea, let the sight of a Diabolonian heighten
thy love to me. I came once, and twice, and thrice, to save thee
from the poison of those arrows that would have wrought thy death:
stand for me, thy Friend, my Mansoul, against the Diabolonians, and
I will stand for thee before my Father, and all his court. Love me
against temptation, and I will love thee notwithstanding thine
infirmities.
'O my Mansoul, remember what my captains, my soldiers, and mine
engines have done for thee. They have fought for thee, they have
suffered by thee, they have borne much at thy hands to do thee
good, O Mansoul. Hadst thou not had them to help thee, Diabolus
had certainly made a hand of thee. Nourish them, therefore, my
Mansoul. When thou dost well, they will be well; when thou dost
ill, they will be ill, and sick, and weak. Make not my captains
sick, O Mansoul; for if they be sick, thou canst not be well; if
they be weak, thou canst not be strong; if they be faint, thou
canst not be stout and valiant for thy King, O Mansoul. Nor must
thou think always to live by sense: thou must live upon my word.
Thou must believe, O my Mansoul, when I am from thee, that yet I
love thee, and bear thee upon mine heart for ever.
'Remember, therefore, O my Mansoul, that thou art beloved of me:
as I have, therefore, taught thee to watch, to fight, to pray, and
to make war against my foes; so now I command thee to believe that
my love is constant to thee. O my Mansoul, how have I set my
heart, my love upon thee! Watch. Behold, I lay none other burden
upon thee, than what thou hast already. Hold fast, till I come.'
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