smile upon the other two that were Will-be-will's companions, saying, Take these as further tokens of my love, favour, and compassions to you; and I charge you, that you Mr. Recorder tell the town of Mansoul what you have heard and seen.

Then were their fetters broken to pieces before their faces, and cast into the air, and their steps were enlarged under them. Then they fell down at the feet of the Prince, and kissed his feet, and wetted them with tears; they also cried out with a mighty strong voice, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from this place. So they were bid rise up, and go to the town and tell to Mansoul what the Prince had done. He commanded also that one with pipe and tabor should go and play before them all the way into the town of Mansoul. Then was fulfilled what they never looked for, and they were made to possess that which they never dreamt of. The Prince also called for the noble Capt. Credence, and commanded that he and some of his officers should march before the noblemen of Mansoul, with flying colours into the town. He gave also unto Captain Credence a charge, that about the time that the Recorder did read the general pardon in the town of Mansoul, that at that very time he should with flying colours march in at Eye-gate with his ten thousand at his feet, and that he should so go until he come by the high street of the town, up to the castle gates, and that himself should take possession thereof, against his Lord came thither. He commanded moreover, that he should bid Captain Judgment and Captain Execution to leave the strong hold to him, and to withdraw from Mansoul, and to return into the camp with speed unto the Prince.

And now was the town of Mansoul also delivered from the terror of the first four captains and their men.e Well, I told you before how the prisoners were entertained by the noble Prince Emanuel, and how they be

haved themselves before him, and how he sent them away to their homes with pipe and tabor going before them. And now you must think that those of the town, that had all this while waited to hear of their death, could not but be exercised with sadness of mind, and with thoughts that pricked like thorns. Nor could their thoughts be kept to any one point: the wind blew with them all this while at great uncertainties, yea, their hearts were like a balance that had been disquieted with a shaking hand. But at last, as they with many a long look looked over the wall of Mansoul, they thought that they saw some return to the town; and thought again who should they be too, who should they be? At last they discerned that they were the prisoners; but can you imagine how their hearts were surprised with wonder, especially when they perceived also in what equipage, and with what honour they were sent home! They went down to the camp in black, but they came back to the town in white; they went down to the camp in ropes, they came back in chains of gold; they went down to the camp with feet in, fetters, but came back with their steps enlarged under them; they went to the camp looking for death, but came back from thence with assurance of life; they went down to the camp with heavy hearts, but came back again with pipe and tabor playing before them. So soon as they were come to Eye-gate, the poor and tottering town of Mansoul adventured to give a shout; and they gave such a shout as made the captains in the Prince's army leap at the sound thereof. Alas! for them, poor hearts, who could blame them, since their dead friends were come to life again; for 'twas to them as life from the dead, to see the ancients of the town of Mansoul to shine in such splendor. They looked for nothing but the ax and the block; but behold joy and gladness, comfort and consolation, and

such

such melodious notes attending of them, that was sufficient to make a sick man well, Isa. xxxiii. 24. So when they came up they saluted each other, Welcome, welcome, and blessed be he that spared you. They added also, We see it is well with you, but how must it go with the town of Mansoul? And will it go well with the town of Mansoul, said they? Then answered them the Recorder, and my Lord Mayor, Oh Tidings! glad tidings good Tidings of good, and of great joy to poor Mansoul! Then they gave another shout that made the earth to ring again. After this they enquired yet more particularly how things went in the camp, and what message they had from Emanuel to the town? So they told them all passages that had happened to them at the camp, and every thing that the Prince did to them. This made Mansoul wonder at the wisdom and grace of the Prince Emanuel; then they told them what they had received at his hands for the whole town of Mansoul, and the Recorder delivered it in these words, Pardon, pardon, for Mansoul; and this shall Mansoui know to-morrow ! Then he commanded, and they went and summoned Mansoul to meet together in the Market-place, to-morrow, there to hear their general pardon read.

But who can think what a turn, what a change, what an alteration this hint of things did make in the countenance of the town of Mansoul! No man of Mansoul could sleep that night for joy. In every house there was joy and music, singing and making merry; telling and hearing of Emanuel's happiness was then all that Mansoul had to do. And this was the burden of all their song, Ob! more of this at the rising of the sun! more of this to-morrow! Who thought yesterday, one would say, that this day would have been such a day to us? And who thought, that saw our prisoners go down in irons, that they would have returned in chains of gold! Yea, .they that judged themselves, as they went to be judged

of

of their Judge, were by his mouth acquitted, not for that they were innocent, but of the Prince's mercy, and sent home with pipe and tabor. But is this the common custom of Princes? Do they use to shew such kind favours to traitors? No: this is only peculiar to Shaddai and to Emanuel his Son.

Now morning drew on apace, wherefore the Lord Mayor, the Lord Will-be-will, and Mr. Recorder came down to the Market-place, at the time that the Prince had appointed, where the townsfolk were waiting for them; and when they came, they came in that attire and in that glory that the Prince had put them into the day before, and the street was lightned with their glory. So the Mayor, Recorder, and my Lord Will-be-will drew down to Mouth-gate, which was at the lower end of the Market-place, because that of old time was the place where they used to read public matters. Thither therefore they came in their robes, and their tabor went before them. Now the eagerness of the people to know the full matter was great.

Then the Recorder stood up upon his feet, and first beckoning with his hand for silence, he read out with a loud voice the pardon. But when he came to these words, The Lord, the Lord God is merciful and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgressions, and sins; and to them, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven, &c. Exod. xxxiv. Mark iii. they could not forbear but leap for joy. For this you must know, that there was conjoined herewith every man's name in Mansoul, also the seals of the pardon made a brave shew.

When the Recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, the townsmen run upon the walls of the town, and they leaped thereon for joy, and bowed themselves seven times with their faces towards Emanuel's pavilion, and shouted out aloud for joy, and said, Let Emanuel

live for ever!

Then

Then order was given to the young men in Mansou that they should ring the bells for joy; so the bells did ring, and the people sing, and the music go in every house in Mansoul.

When the Prince had sent home the three prisoners of Mansoul with joy, and pipe and tabor, he commanded his captains, with all the field officers and soldiers throughout his army, to be ready on that morning that the Recorder should read the pardon in Mansoul, to do his further pleasure. So the morning, as I have shewed, being come, just as the Recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, Emanuel commanded that all the trumpets in the camp should sound, that the colours should be displayed, half of them upon Mount Gracious, and half of them upon Mount Justice. He commanded also that all the captains should shew themselves in all their harness, and that the soldiers should shout for joy. Nor was Captain Credence, though in the castle, silent in such a day, but he from the top of the hold shewed himself with the sound of trumpet to Mansoul, and to the Prince's camp.

Thus have I shewed you the manner and way that Emanuel took to recover the town of Mansoul, from under the hand and power of the tyrant Diabolus.

Now when the Prince had compleated these outward ceremonies of his joy, he again commanded, that his captains and soldiers should shew unto Mansoul some feats of war. So they presently addressed themselves to this work. But O, with what agility, nimbleness, dexterity and bravery did these military men discover their skill in feats of war, to the now gazing town of Mansoul.

They marched, they counter-marched, they opened to the right and left, they divided and subdivided, they closed, they wheeled, made good their front and rear with their right and left wings, and twenty things

more,