much, if at all, concerned with the project, (for, alas for them! they were woefully besotted, for they chiefly regarded their pleasure and lusts,) yet Diabolus their governor was, for he had his spies continually abroad, who brought him intelligence of all things: and they told him what was doing at court against him, and that Emanuel would certainly come shortly with a power to invade him. Nor was there any man in court, nor peer of the kingdom, that Diabolus so feared, as he feared this Prince: for, if you remember, I showed you before, that Diabolus had felt the weight of his hand already; so that since it was he that was to come, this made him sore afraid.

Well, you see how I have told you that the King's Son was engaged to come from the court to save Mansoul, and that his Father had made him captain of the forces. The time, therefore, of his setting forth being now expired, he addressed himself for the march; and taketh with him, for his power, five noble captains and their forces.

1. 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.

CAPTAIN CREDENCE.

2. The second was that famous captain, the Captain Good-Hope. His were the blue colours: his standard-bearer was Mr. Expectation, and for a scutcheon he had the three golden anchors;† and he had ten thousand men at his feet.

3. The third was that valiant captain, the Captain Charity.‡ His standardbearer was Mr. Pitiful; his were the green

• Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. John i. 19. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Eph. vi. 16.

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Heb. vi. 19.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity vaunteth not itself, and is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. 1 Cor. xiii. 4-8.

K

colours, and for his scutcheon he had three naked orphans embraced in the bosom; and he had ten thousand at his feet.

4. The fourth was that gallant commander, the Captain Innocent. His standard-bearer was Mr. Harmless ;* his were the white colours, and for his scutcheon had the three golden doves.

5. The fifth was the truly loyal and well-beloved captain, the Captain Patience. His standard-bearer was Mr. Suffer-Long: his were the black colours, and for a scutcheon he had three arrows through a golden heart. These were Emanuel's captains, these their standard-bearers, their colours, and their scutcheons, and these the men under their command. So, as was said, the brave Prince took his march to go to the town of Mansoul. Captain Credence led the van, and Captain Patience brought up patience do the the rear. So, the other three with their men made up the main body. The prince himself rode in his chariot at

work.

Faith and

Heb. vi. 12.

the head of them.

But, when they set out for their march, oh, how the trumpets sounded, their armour glittered, and how the colours waved in the wind! The Prince's armour was all gold, and it shone like the sun in the firmament. The captains' armour was of proof, and was in appearance like the glittering stars. There were also some from the court that rode reformades, for the love that they had to the King Shaddai, and for the happy deliverance of the town of Mansoul.

containing sixty

six books.

Emanuel also, when he had thus set forwards to go to recover the town The holy Bible, of Mansoul, took with him, at the command of his Father, fiftyfour battering-rams, and twelve slings to whirl stones withal. Every one of these was made of pure gold: and these they carried with them in the heart and body of their army, all along as they went to Mansoul.

So they marched till they came within less than a league of the town; and there they lay till the first four captains came thither, to acquaint them with matters. Then they took their journey to go to the town of Mansoul, and unto Mansoul they came; but when the old soldiers, that were in the camp, saw that they had new forces to join with, they again gave such a shout before the walls of Mansoul, that it put Diabolus into another fright.

* Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye, therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matt. x. 16.

So they sat down before the town, not now as the other four captains did, to wit, against the gates of Mansoul only, but they environed it round on every side, and beset it behind and before; so that now, let Mansoul look which way it would, it saw force and power lie in siege against it. Besides, there were mounts casts up against it; the mount Gracious was on the one side, and mount Justice on the other. Farther, there were several banks and advance grounds, as Plain-Truth hill, and No-Sin banks, where many of the slings were placed against the town. Upon mount Gracious were planted four, and upon mount Justice were placed as many: and the rest were conveniently placed in several parts round about the town. Five of the best battering-rams, that is, of the biggest of them, were placed upon mount Hearken, a mount cast up hard by Ear-gate, with intent to break *that open.

Now when the town of Mansoul saw the multitude, and the soldiers that were come up against the place, and the rams and slings, and the mounts on which they were planted; together with the glittering of the armour, and the waving of their colours; they were forced to shift and shift, and again to shift their thoughts; but they hardly changed for thoughts more stout, but rather for thoughts more faint; for though before they thought themselves sufficiently guarded, yet now they began to think that no man knew what would be their hap or lot.

When the good Prince Emanuel had thus beleaguered Mansoul, in the first place he hangs out the white flag, which he caused to be set up among the golden slings that were planted upon mount Gracious. And this he did for two reasons: 1. To give notice to Mansoul, that he could and would yet be gracious, if they turned to him.. 2. And that he might leave them the more without excuse, should he destroy them, they continuing in their rebellion.

So the white flag, with the three golden doves on it, was hung out for two days together, to give them time and space to consider. But they, as was hinted before, as if they were unconcerned, made no reply to the favourable signal of the Prince.

Then he commanded, and they set the red flag upon that mount called Justice. It was the red flag of Captain Judgment, whose scutcheon was the burning fiery furnace; also this stood waving before them in the wind for several days together. But look how they carried it under the white

flag, when that was hung out, so did they also when the red one was and yet he took no advantage of them.

Then he again commanded that his servants should hang out the black

flag of defiance against them, whose scutcheon was the three burning thunder-bolts. But as unconcerned was Mansoul at this, as at those that went before. But when the Prince saw that neither mercy nor judgment, nor execution of judgment, would or could come near the heart of Mansoul, he was touched with much compunction, and said, "Surely this strange carriage of the town of Mansoul doth rather arise from ignorance of the

not war as the

manner and feats of war, than from a secret defiance of us, and abhorrence of their own lives; or, if they know the manner of the war of Christ makes their own, yet not the rites and ceremonies of the war in world does. which we are concerned, when I make wars upon mine enemy, Diabolus." Therefore he sent to the town of Mansoul, to let them know what he meant by those signs and ceremonies of the flag; and also to know of them which of the things they will choose, whether grace and mercy, or judgment, and the execution of judgment. All this while they kept the gates shut as fast as they could. Their guards were also doubled, and their watch made as strong as they could. Diabolus also plucked up what heart he could, to encourage the town to make resistance.

The townsmen also made answer to the Prince's messenger, in substance, according to that which follows:

66

'Great Sir,-As to what, by your messenger, you have signified to us, whether we will accept your mercy, or fall by your justice; we are bound by the law and custom of this place, and can give you no positive answer: for it is against the law, government, and prerogative royal of our king, to make either peace or war without him. But this we will do, we will petition that our prince will come down to the wall, and there give you such treatment as he shall think fit and profitable for us."

When the good Prince Emanuel heard this answer, and saw the slavery and bondage of the people, and how contented they were to abide in the chains of the tyrant, Diabolus, it grieved him at the heart. And, indeed, when at any time he perceived that any were contented with the slavery of the giant, he would be affected with it.

But to return again to our purpose. After the town had carried this news to Diabolus, and had told him, moreover, that the Prince, that lay in the leaguer without the wall, waited upon them for an answer; he refused, and huffed as well as he could; but in heart he was afraid.

Then said he, “I will go down to the gates myself, and give him such an answer as I think fit." So he went down to Mouth-gate, and there addressed himself to speak to Emanuel, (but in such language as the town. understood not,) the contents whereof were as follows:

"O thou great Emanuel, Lord of the world, I know thee, that thou art the Son of the great Shaddai! Wherefore art thou come to torment me, and to cast me out of my possession? This town of Mansoul, as thou