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townsmen, to shoot them; if thereby they shall judge their cause and design will the better be promoted.

It was answered to the first of these proposals in the negative, to wit, that it would not be best that all should shew themselves before the town, because the appearance of many of them might alarm and fright the town, whereas, a few, or but one of them, was not so likely to do it. And to inforce this advice to take place, 'twas added further, that if Mansoul was frighted or did take the alarm, 'tis impossible, said Diabolus, (for he spake now) that we should take the town: For that none can enter into it without its own consent. Let therefore but a few, or but one, assault Mansoul, and in my opinion, said Diabolus, let me be he. Wherefore to this they all agreed; and then to the second proposal they came, namely, Whether they had best to go and sit down before Mansoul, in their now ragged and beggarly guise? To which it was answered also in the negative-By no means; and that because, though the town of Mansoul had been made to know, and to have to do before now, with things that are invisible; they did never as yet see any of their fellow creatures in so bad and rascal.condition as they. And this was the advice of the fierce Alecto. Then said Apollion, the advice is pertinent, for even one of us appearing to them as we are now, must needs both beget and multiply such thoughts in them, as will both put them into a consternation of spirit, and necessitate them to put them upon their guard; and if so, said he, then as my Lord Electo said but now, 'tis in vain for us to think of taking the town. Then said that mighty giant Belzebub, The advice that already is given is safe; for though the men of Mansoul have seen such things as we once were, yet hitherto they did never behold such things as we now are. And 'tis best in mine opinion, to come upon them in such a guise as is common to, and

most

most familiar among them. To this when they had consented, the next thing to be considered was, in what shape, hue, or guise, Diabolus had best to shew himself, when he went about to make Mansoul his own. Then one said one thing, and another the contrary; at last Lucifer answered, That in his opinion, 'twas bort that his lordship should assume the body of some of those creatures that they of the town had dominion over. For, quoth he, these are not only familiar to them, but being under them, they will never imagine that any attempt should by them be made upon the town; and to blind all, let him assume the body of one of those beasts that Mansoul deems to be wiser than any of the rest, Geñ. i. Rev. xx. 1, 2. This advice was applauded of all, so it was determined that the giant Diabolus should assumie the Dragon, for that he was in those days, as familiar with the town of Mansoul, as now is the bird with the boy. For nothing that was in its primitive state was at all amazing to them. Then they proceeded to the third thing, which was, 3. Whether they had best shew their inclinations, of the design of thier coming, to Mansoul, or no?

This also was answered in the negative, because of the weight that was in their former reasons, to wit, for that Mansoul were a strong people, a strong people in a strong town, whose wall and gates were impregnable, (to say nothing of their castle), nor can they by any means be won but by their own consent. Besides, said Legion, (for he gave answer to this) a discovery of our intentions may make them send to their king for aid, and if that be done, I know quickly what time of day 'twill be with us; therefore let us assault them in all pretended fairness, covering of our intentions with all manner of lies, flatteries, delusive words; feigning of things that will never be, and promising of that to them that they shall never find: this is the way to win Mansoul,

Mansoul, and to make them of themselves to open their gates to us; yea, and to desire us too, to come in to them.

"And the reason why I think this project will do, is, because the people of Mansoul now are every one simple and innocent; all honest and true: Nor do they as yet know what it is to be assaulted with fraud, guile, and hypocricy. They are strangers to lying and dissembling lips; wherefore we cannot, if thus we be disguised by them, at all be discerned; our lies shall go for true sayings, and our dissimulation for upright dealings. What we promise them, they will in that. believe us, especially if in all our lies and feigned words we pretend great love to them, and that our design is only their advantage and honour."

Now there was not one bit of a reply against this; it went as current down as doth the waters down a steep descent; wherefore they go to consider of the last proposal, which was,

Fourthly, Whether they had not best to give out orders to some of their company to shoot some one or more of the principal of the townsmen: If they judge that their cause may be promoted thereby.

This was carried in the affirmative, and the man that was designed by this stratagem to be destroyed, was one Mr. Resistance, otherwise called Captain Resistance, and a great man in Mansoul this Captain Resistance was; and a man that the giant Diabolus and his band more feared than they feared the whole town of Mansoul besides. Now who should be the actor to do the murder, that was the next, and they appointed one Tisiphane, a fury of the lake, to do it.

They thus having ended their council of war, rose up, and essayed to do as they had determined, they marched towards Mansoul, but all in a manner invisible, save one,

one, nor did he approach the town in his own likeness, but under the shape, and in the body of the dragon.

So they drew up and sat down before Ear-gate, for that was the place of hearing for all without the town, as Eye-gate was the place of perspective. So, as I said, he came up with his train to the gate, and laid his ambuscade for Captain Resistance, within bow-shot of the town. This done, the giant ascended up close to the gate, and called to the town of Mansoul for audience ; nor took he any with him but one Ill-pause, who was his orator in all difficult matters. Now, as I said, he being come up to the gate, (as the manner of those times was) sounded his trumpet for audience: at which the chief of the town of Mansoul, such as my Lord Innocence, my Lord Will-be-will, my Lord Mayor, Mr. Recorder, and Captain Resistance, came down to the wall to see who was there, and what was the matter. And my Lord Will-be-will, when he looked over and saw who stood at the gate, demanded what he was, and wherefore he was come, and why he roused the town of Mansoul with so unusual a sound?

Diabolus then, as if he had been a lamb, began his oration and said, "Gentlemen of the famous town of Mansoul, I am, as you may perceive, no far dweller from you, but near, and one that is bound by the King to do you my homage, and what service I can; wherefore that I may be faithful to myself, and to you, I have somewhat of concern to impart unto you; wherefore grant me your audience, and hear me patiently. And first, I will assure you, it is not myself, but you, not mine, but your advantage that I seek by what I now do, as will full well be made manifest, by that I have opened my mind to you. For, gentlemen, I am (to tell you the truth) come to shew you how you may obtain great and ample deliverance from a bondage that unawares to yourselves you are captivated and enslaved C

under."

under." At this the town of Mansoul began to prick. up its ears. And what is it, pray? what is it? thought they. And he said,

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I have something to say to you concerning your King, concerning his latu, and also touching yourselves. Touching your King, I know be is great and potent, but yet, all that be bas said to you, is neither true, nor yet for your advantage. 1. 'Tis not true, for that wherewith be bath bitherto awed you, shall not come to pass, nor be fulfilled, though you do the thing be batb forbidden. But if there was danger, what a slavery is it to live always in fear of the greatest punishments, for doing so small and trivial a thing as eating a little fruit? 2. Touching his laws, this I say further, they are both unreasonable, intricate, and intolerable. Unreasonable, as was hinted before; for that the punishment is not proportioned to the offence. There is great difference and disproportion betwixt the life and an apple; yet the one must go for the other by the law of your Shaddai. But it is also intricate, in that he saith, first, be says you may eat of all, and yet after forbids the eating of one. And theu, in the last place it must needs be intolerable, for as much as that fruit which you are forbidden to eat of (if you are forbidden any) is that, and that alone, which is able by your eating, to mi nister you a good as yet unknown by you. This is manifest by the very name of the tree: it is called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And have you that knowledge as yet? No, no; nor can you conceive how good, how pliasant, and borv much to be desired to make one wise it is, so long as you stand by your King's commandment. Why should you be bolden in blindness and ignorance? Why should you not be enlarged in knowledge and understanding? And now, ab ye inhabitants of the famous torn of Mansoul, to speak more particularly to yourselves, you are not a free peòple! Ye are kept both in bondage and slavery, and that by a grievous threat, no reason being annexed, but, So I will bave it, So it shall be. And is it not grievous to think on,

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