subjects, if it

Diabolus makes a fpeech to the town.

"Gentlemen, quoth he, and my faithful be true that this fummoner hath faid, concerning the greatness of their King, by his terror you will always be kept in bondage, and fo be made to fneak: Yea, how can you now, though he is at a diftance, endure to think of fuch a mighty one? And if not to think of him while at a distance, how can you endure to be in his prefence? I your prince am familiar with you, and you may play with me as you would with a grafshopper. Confider, therefore, what is for your profit, and remember the immunities that I have granted you.

"Farther, If all be true that this man hath faid, how comes it to pass that the subjects of Shaddai are so enslaved in all places where they come? None in the universe fo unhappy as they, nose fo trampled upon as they.

46

Confider, my Manfoul-Would thou wert as loath to leave me as I am loath to leave thee! But confider, I fay, the ball is yet at thy foot; liberty you have, if you know how to use it; yea, a king you have too, if you can tell how to love and obey him."

He drives Manfoul into defpair.

So

Upon this fpeech the town of Manfoul did again harden their hearts yet more against the captains of Shaddai. The thoughts of his greatnefs did quite quafh them, and the thoughts of his holinefs funk them in defpair. Wherefore, after a fhort confultation, they (of the Diabolonian party they were) fent back this word by the trumpeter, "That for their parts they were refolved to flick to their king, but never to yield to Shaddai.' it was but in vain to give them any farther fummons, for they had rather die upon the place than yield. And now things feemed to be gone quite back, and Manfoul to be out of reach or call; yet the captains, who knew what their Lord could do, would not yet be beat out of heart: They therefore fent them another fummons, more fharp and fevere than the laft; but the oftener they were fent to, to reconcile to Shaddai, the farther off, were they. As they called them, fo they went from them; yea, though they called them to the Molt High.

So they ceafed that way to deal with them any more, and inclined to think of another way. The captains therefore did gather themselves together, to have free conference among themselves, to know what was to be done to gain the town, F

The captains leave off to fummons, and betake themfelves to pray

er.

and to deliver it from the tyranny of Diabolus: And one faid after this manner, and another after that. Then stood up the right noble Captain Conviction, and said, My brethren, nine opinion is this:

"First, That we continually play our flings into the town, and keep it in a continual alarm, molefting them day and night; by thus doing we fhall stop the growth of their rampant spirit. For a lion may be tamed by continual moleftations.

Secondly, This done, I'advife, that in the next place we with one confent draw up a petition to our Lord Shaddai; by which, after we have fhewed our King the condition of Manfoul, and of affairs here, and have begged his pardon for our not better fuccefs; we will earnestly implore his Majelty's help, and that he will please to fend us more force and power, and fome gallant and well-spoken commander to head them; that fo his Majefty may not lofe the benefit of these his good beginnings, but may complete his conquelt upon the town of Manfoul."

To this fpeech of the noble Captain Conviction, they as one man consented; and agreed that a petition should forthwith be drawn up, and fent by a fit man away to Shaddai with fpeed. The contents of the petition were thus:

"Molt gracious and glorious King, the Lord of the best world, and the builder of the town of Manfoul: We have, dread Sovereign, at thy commandment, put our lives in jeopardy, and at thy bidding made a war upon the famous town of Manfoul. When we went up against it, we did, according to our commiffion, firft offer conditions of peace unto it: But they, great King, fet light by our counfel, and would none of our reproof; they were for fhutting their gates, and for keeping us out of the town. They alfo mounted their guns, they fallied out upon us, and have done us what damage they could, but we purfued them, with alarm upon alarm, requiting them with fuch retribution as was meet, and have done fome execution upon the town.

"Diabolus, Incredulity, and Will-be-will, are the great doers against us; now we are in our winter-quarters, but fo, as that we do yet with an high hand, molest, and distress the town.

Once, as we think, had we had but one fubftantial friend in the town, fuch as would but have feconded the found of our fummons, as they ought, the people might have yielded themselves; but there were none but enemies

there,

there, nor any to speak in behalf of our Lord to the town; wherefore, though we have done as we could, yet Manfoul abides in a state of rebellion against thee.

"Now, King of kings, let it please thee to pardon the unfuccefsfulness of thy fervants, who have been no more advantageous in fo defirable a work as the conquering of Manfoul is; and fend, Lord, as we now defire, more forces to Manfoul, that it may be fubdued; and a man to head them, that the town may both love and fear.

“We do not thus 1peak because we are willing to relinquifh the wars, (for we are for laying our bones against the place), but that the town of Manfoul may be won for thy Majelty. We alfo pray thy Majefty for expedition in this matter, that after their conqueft we may be at liberty, to be fent about other thy gracious defigns. Amen.' The petition thus drawn up, was fent away with halte to the King, by the hand of that good man Mr. Love-to-Manfoul.

Who carried'

this petition.

When this petition was come to the palace of the King, who should it be delivered to but to the King's Son! So he took it and read it; and because the contents of it pleafed him well, he mended, and also, in fome things, added to the petition himfelf. So after he had made fuch amend ments and additions as he thought convenient, with his own hand, he carried it in to the King; to whom when he had, with obeifance, delivered it, he put on authority, and fpake to it himself.

The King receives it with gladness.

Now the King at the fight of the petition was glad; but how much more, think you, when it was feconded by his Son? It pleafed him also to hear that his fervants that camped against Manfoul, were fo hearty in the work, and foftedfalt in their resolves, and that they had already got fome ground upon the famous town of Manfoul. Whereupon the King called to him Emmanuel his Son; who faid, Here am I, my Father. Then faid the King, thou knoweft, as I do myself, the condition of the town of Manfoul, and what we have purpofed, and what thou haft done to redeem it. Come now, therefore, my Son, and prepare thyfelf for the war, for thou fhalt go to my camp at Manfoul. Thou fhalt alfo there profper, and prevail, and conquer the town of Manfoul.

F.2

The King calls his Son, and tells him, that he fhall go to conquer the town of Manfoul, and he is pleafed at it.

Then

Then faid the King's Son, Thy law is within my heart. I delight to do thy will. This is the day that I have longed for, and the work that I have waited for all this while. Grant me, therefore, what force thou fhalt in thy wifdom think meet, and I will go, and will deliver from Diabolus, and from his power, thy perifhing town of Manfoul. My heart has been often pained within me, for the miferable town of Manfoul; but now it is rejoiced, but now it is glad; and with that he leaped over the mountains for joy, faying,

I have not, in my heart, thought any thing too dear for Manfoul; the day of vengeance is in mine heart, for thee my Mansoul; and glad am I, that thou, my Father, haft made me the captain of their falvation; and I will now begin to plague all thofe that have been a plague to my town of Manfoul, and will deliver it from their hand.

When the King's Son had faid this to his Father, it presently flew like lightning round about at court; yea, it there became the only talk, what Emmanuel was to go to do for the famous town of Manfoul. But you cannot think how the courtiers too were taken with the defign of the Prince Yea, to affected were they with this work, and with the juftnefs of the war, that the higheft lord, and greatest peer of the kingdom, did covet to have commiffions under Emmanuel, to go and help to recover again to Shaddai, the miferable town of Manfoul.

Then was it concluded that fome fhould go and carry tidings to the camp, that Emmanuel was to come to recover Manfoul; and that he would bring along with him fo mighty, so impregnable a force, that he could not be refifted. But, Oh! how ready were the high ones at court to run like lacquies to carry these tidings to the camp that was at Manfoul. Now when the Captains perceived that the King would fend Emmanuel his Son, and that it also delighted the Son to be fent on this errand by the great Shaddai his Father; they alfo, to thew how they were pleafed at the thoughts of his coming, gave a fhout that made the earth rend at the found thereof; yea, the mountains did anfwer again by echo, and Diabolus himfelf did totter and (hake.

The camp fhouts for joy when they hear the tidings.

For you must know, that though the town of Manfoul felf was not much, if at all concerned with the project, (for, alas for them, they were wofully befotted, for /they chiefly regarded their pleasure and their lufts); yer Dibaolus

Diabolus afraid

at the news of his coming.

Diabolus their governor was, for he had his fpies continually abroad, who brought him intelligence of all things, and they told him what was doing at court against him, and that Emmanuel would certainly come with a power to invade him. Nor was there any man at court, nor peer of the kingdom, that Diabolus fo feared, as he feared this Prince, For if you remember, I fhewed you before that Diabolus had already felt the weight of his hand. So that fince it was he that was to come, this made him the more afraid. Well, you fee how I have told you that the King's Son was engaged to come from the court to fave Manfoul, and that his Father had made him the Captain of the forces: The time therefore of his fetting forth being expired, he addreffed himfelf for his march, and took with him for his power, five noble captains, and their

forces.

The Prince addreffes himself for his jour

ney.

The first was that famous captain, the noble Captain Credence, his were the red colours; and Mr. Promise bare them; and for a scutcheon, he had the Holy Lamb and Golden Shield. And he had ten thousand men at his feet. The fecond was that famous captain, the Captain Good-hope, his were the blue colours: His ftandardbearer was Mr. Expectation; and for a fcutcheon he had the three Golden Anchors. And he had ten thousand men at his feet.

The third captain was that valiant captain, the Captain Charity His ftandard-bearer was Mr. Pitiful; his were the green colours; and for his fcutcheon he had three Naked Orphans embracing the bofom. And he had ten thou fand men at his feet.

The fourth was that gallant commander, the Captain Innocent: His ftandard-bearer was Mr. Harmless; his were the white colours; and for his fcutcheon he had the three Golden Doves.

The fifth was the truly-loyal and well-beloved captain, the Captain Patience: His ftandard-bearer was Mr. Sufferlong; his were the black colours; and for a fcutcheon he had three Arrows through the Golden Heart.

These were Emmanuel's captains, these their standardbearers, their colours, and their fcutche ons; and these the men under their command. So as was faid, the brave Prince took his march to go to the town of Man

F 3

Faith and Patience do the work.

foul