to take you by force." But by that the fugitive had done beating his drum, the people of Mansoul had betaken themselves to the captains that were in the castle, so that there was none to regard, nor to give this drummer an answer; so he proceeded no further that night, but returned again to his master to the camp.

But

When Diabolus saw that by drumming he could not work out Mansoul to his will, the next night he sendeth his drummer without his drum, still to let the townsmen know that he had a mind to parley with them. when all came to all, his parley was turned into a summons to the town to deliver up themselves; but they gave him neither heed nor hearing; for they remembered what at first it cost them to hear him a few words.

The next night he sends again, and then who should be his messenger to Mansoul but the terrible Captain Sepulchre; so Captain Sepulchre came up to the walls of Mansoul, and made this oration to the town :

'O ye inhabitants of the rebellious town of Mansoul ! I summon you in the name of the Prince Diabolus, that, without any more ado, you set open the gates of your town, and admit the great lord to come in. But if you shall still rebel, when we have taken to us the town by force, we will swallow you up as the grave; wherefore, if you will hearken to my summons, say so, and if not, then let me know.

"The reason of this my summons," quoth he, "is, for that my lord is your undoubted prince and lord, as you yourselves have formerly owned. Nor shall that assault that was given to my lord, when Emmanuel dealt so dishonourably by him, prevail with him to lose his right,

and to forbear to attempt to recover his own Consider, then, O Mansoul, with thyself, wilt thou show thyself peaceable, or no? If thou shalt quietly yield up thyself, then our old friendship shall be renewed; but if thou shalt yet refuse and rebel, then expect nothing but fire and sword."

When the languishing town of Mansou! had heard this summoner and his summons they were yet more put to their dumps, but made to the captain no answer at all; so away he went as he came.

But after some consultation among themselves, as also with some of their captains, they applied themselves afresh to the Lord Secretary for counsel and advice from him; for this Lord Secretary was their chief preacher (as also is mentioned some pages before), only now he was ill at ease; and of him they begged favour in these two or three things:

1. That he would look comfortably upon them, and not keep himself so much retired from them as formerly. Also, that he would be prevailed with to give them a hearing, while they should make known their miserable condition to him. But to this he told them as before, That as yet he was but ill at ease, and therefore could: not do as he had formerly done."

2. The second thing that they desired was, that he would be pleased to give them his advice about their now so important affairs, for that Diabolus was come and set down before the town with no less than twenty thousand doubters. They said, moreover, that both he and his captains were cruel men, and that they were afraid of them. But to this he said, "You must look to the law

of the Prince, and there see what is laid upon you to do."

3. Then they desired that his highness would help them to frame a petition to Shaddai, and unto Emmanuel his Son, and that he would set his own hand thereto as a token that he was one with them in it: "For," said they, "my Lord, many a one have we sent, but can get no answer of peace; but now, surely, one with thy hand. unto, it may obtain good for Mansoul."

"That

But all the answer that he gave to this was, they had offended their Emmanuel, and had also grieved himself, and that therefore they must as yet partake of their own devices."

This answer of the Lord Secretary fell like a millstone upon them; yea, it crushed them so that they could not tell what to do; yet they durst not comply with the demands of Diabolus, nor with the demands of his captain. So then here were the straits that the town of Mansoul was betwixt, when the enemy came upon her: her foes were ready to swallow her up, and her friends did forbear to help her. (Lam. i. 3.)

Then stood up my Lord Mayor, whose name was my Lord Understanding, and he began to pick, and pick, until he had picked comfort out of that seemingly bitter saying of the Lord Secretary; for thus he discanted upon it: "First," said he, "this unavoidably follows upon the saying of my Lord, that we must yet suffer for our sins. Secondly, But," quoth he, "the words yet sound as if at last we should be saved from our enemies; and that after a few more sorrows, Emmanuel will come and be our help." Now the Lord Mayor was the more critical

in his deal with the Secretary's words, because my Lord was more than a prophet, and because none of his words were such, but that at all times they were most exactly significant; and the townsmen were allowed to pry into them, and to expound them to their best advantage.

So they took their leaves of my lord, and returned, and went, and came to the captains, to whom they did tell what my Lord High Secretary had said; who, when they had heard it, were all of the same opinion as was my Lord Mayor himself. The captains, therefore, began to take some courage unto them, and to prepare to make some brave attempt upon the camp of the enemy, and to destroy all that were Diabolonians, with the roving doubters that the tyrant had brought with him to destroy the poor town of Mansoul.

So all betook themselves forthwith to their placesthe captains to theirs, the Lord Mayor to his, the subordinate preacher to his, and my Lord Willbewill to his. The captains longed to be at some work for their Prince; for they delighted in warlike achievements. The next day, therefore, they came together and consulted; and after consultation had, they resolved to give an answer to the captain of Diabolus with slings; and so they did at the rising of the sun on the morrow; for Diabolus had ventured to come nearer again, but the sling-stones were to him and his like hornets. For as there is nothing to the town of Mansoul so terrible as the roaring of Diabolus's drum, so there is nothing to Diabolus so terrible as the well-playing of Emmanuel's slings. (Zech. ix. 15.) Wherefore Diabolus was forced to make another retreat, yet farther off from the famous town of

Mansoul. Then did the Lord Mayor of Mansoul cause the bells to be rung, "and that thanks should be sent to the Lord High Secretary by the mouth of the subordinate preacher; for that by his words the captains and elders of Mansoul had been strengthened against Diabolus."

When Diabolus saw that his captains and soldiers, high lords and renowned, were frightened, and beaten down by the stones that came from the golden slings of the Prince of the town of Mansoul, he bethought himself, and said, "I will try to catch them by fawning, I will try to flatter them into my net."

Wherefore, after a while, he came down again to the wall, not now with his drum, nor with Captain Sepulchre; but having all besugared his lips, he seemed to be a very sweet-mouthed, peaceable prince, designing nothing for humour's sake, nor to be revenged on Mansoul for injuries by them done to him; but the welfare, and good, and advantage of the town and people therein was now, as he said, his only design. Wherefore, after he had called for audience, and desired that the townsfolk would give it to him, he proceeded in his oration, and said :

"Oh, the desire of my heart, the famous town of Mansoul! how many nights have I watched, and how many weary steps have I taken, if perhaps I might do thee good! (1 Pet. v. 8; Rev. xii. 10.) Far be it, far be it from me to desire to make a war upon you ; if ye will but willingly and quietly deliver up yourselves unto me. You know that you were mine of old. Remember also, that so long as you enjoyed me for your lord, and that I enjoyed you for my subjects, you wanted nothing of all the