CHAPTER FOURTH.

Shaddai sends an army of Forty Thousand Men to reduce Mansoul, under the command of Boanerges, Conviction, Judgment, and Execution - The Captains address themselves to the Inhabitants, in Speeches of great energy, but to little purpose, Diabolus, Incredulity, Ill-pause, and others interposing to prevent submission-Prejudice defends Ear-Gate with a Guard of Sixty deaf Men.

Now all this time the good King, the King Shaddai, was preparing to send an army to recover the town of Mansoul again from under the tyranny of their pretended king Diabolus; but he thought good, at the first, not to send them by the hand and conduct of brave Immanuel his Son, but under the hand of some of his servants, to see first by them the temper of Mansoul, and whether by them they would be won to the obedience of their King. The army consisted of above forty thousand, all true men; for they came from the King's own court, and were those of his own choosing.

They came up to Mansoul under the conduct of four stout generals, each man being the captain of ten thousand men ; and these are their names and their ensigns. The name of the first was Captain Boanerges; the name of the second was Captain Conviction; the name of the third Captain Judgment; and the fourth was Captain Execution. These were the captains that Shaddai sent to regain Mansoul.

These four captains (as was said) the King thought fit in the first place to send to Mansoul, to make an attempt upon it; for indeed generally, in all his wars, he did use to place these four captains in the van, for they were very stout and rough-hewn

men; men that were fit to break the ice, and to make their way by dint of sword, and their men were like themselves.

To each of these captains the King gave a banner, that it might be displayed, because of the goodness of his cause, and because of the right that he had to Mansoul.

First, to Captain Boanerges, for he was the chief-to him, I say, were given ten thousand men; his ensign was Mr. Thunder; he bore the black colors, and his scutcheon was the three burning thunderbolts.

The second captain was Captain Conviction; to him were given ten thousand men; his ensign's name was Mr. Sorrow; he did bear the pale colors, and his scutcheon was the book of the law, wide open, from whence issued a flame of fire.

The third captain was Captain Judgment; to him were given ten thousand men: his ensign's name was Mr. Terror; he bare the red colors, and his scutcheon was a burning fiery furnace.

The fourth captain was Captain Execution; to him were given. ten thonsand men: his ensign was one Mr. Justice; he also bare the red colors, and his scutcheon was a fruitless tree, with an axe laying at the root thereof.

These four captains, as I said, had every one of them under his command ten thousand men, all of good fidelity to the King, and stout at their military actions.

Well, the captains and their forces, their men and under-officers, being had upon a day by Shaddai into the field, and there called over by their names, were then and there put into such harness as become their degree, and that service that now they were going about for their King.

Now, when the King had mustered his forces, (for it was he that mustered the host to the battle,) he gave unto the captains their several commissions, with charge and commandment, in the audience of all the soldiers, that they should take heed faithfully and courageously to do and execute the same. Their commissions were, for the substance of them, the same in form, though, as to name, title, place, and degree of the captains, there might be some, but very small variation, and here let me give you an account of the matter and sum contained in their commission.

A Commission from the great King Shaddai, King of Mansoul, to his trusty and noble captain, the Captain Boanerges, for making War upon the Town of Mansoul.

"O Thou Boanerges, one of my stout and thundering captains, over one ten thousand of my valiant and faithful servants, go thou in my name, with this thy force, to the miserable town of Mansoul, and when thou cometh thither, offer them first conditions of peace; and command them, that casting off the yoke and tyranny of the wicked Diabolus, they return to me, their rightful prince and lord; command them also, that they cleanse themselves from all that is in the town of Mansoul, (and look to thyself, that thou have good satisfaction touching the truth of their obedience.) Thus when thou hast commanded them, (if they in truth submit thereto,) then do thou to the uttermost of thy power, what in thee lies, to set up for me a garrison in the famous town of Mansoul; nor do thou hurt the least native that moveth or breatheth therein, if they will submit themselves to me, but treat thou such as if they were thy friends or brethren; for ali such I love, and they shall be dear unto me; and tell them, that I will take a time to come unto them, and let them know that I am merciful.

"But if they shall, notwithstanding thy summons, and the producing of my authority, resist, stand out against thee, and rebel; then I do command thee to make use of all thy cunning, power, might and force, to bring them under by strength of hand. Farewell."

Thus you see the sum of their commissions; for, as I said before, for the substance of them, they were the same that the rest of the noble captains had.

Wherefore they having received each commander his authority at the hand of their King; the day being appointed, and the place of their rendezvous being prefixed, each commander appearing in such gallantry as his cause and calling required; so after a new entertainment from Shaddai, with flying colors they set forward to march towards the famous town of Mansoul. Captain Boanerges led the van, Captain Conviction and Captain Judgment made up the main body, and Captain Execution brought up the

rear. They then having a great way to go, (for the town of Mansoul was far off from the court of Shaddai,) marched through the regions and countries of many people, not hurting or abusing any, but blessing wherever they came. They also lived upon the King's cost, all the way they went.

Having travelled thus for many days, at last they came within sight of Mansoul; the which when they saw, the captains could for their hearts do no less for a while than bewail the condition of the town; for they quickly saw that it was prostrate to the will of Diobolus, and his ways and designs.

Well, to be short, the captains come up before the town, march up to Ear-gate, and sit down there (for that was the place of hearing). So, when they had pitched their tents, and entrenched themselves, they addressed themselves to make their assault.

Now the townsfolk at first, beholding so gallant a company so bravely accoutred, and so excellently disciplined, having on their glittering armor, and displaying their colors, could not but come out of their houses and gaze. But the cunning fox, Diabolus, fearing that the people, after this sight, should, on a sudden summons, open the gates to the Captains, came down with all haste from the castle, and made them retire into the body of the town; who, when he had them there, made this lying and deceiv able speech unto them:

"Gentlemen," quoth he, "although you are my trusty and well-beloved friends, yet I cannot but (a little) chide you for your late uncircumspect action, in going out to gaze on that great and mighty force that but yesterday sat down before (and have now intrenched themselves in order to the maintaining of the siege against) the famous town of Mansoul. Do you know who they are? whence they came? and what is their purpose in sitting down before the town of Mansoul? They are they of whom I have told you long ago, that they would come to destroy this town, and against whom I have been at the cost to arm you capa-pie for your body, besides great fortifications for your mind. Wherefore then did you not rather, even at the first appearance of them, cry out, Fire the beacons, and give the whole town

an alarm concerning them, that we might all have been in a pos ture of defence, and have been ready to have received them with the highest acts of defiance? then had you showed yourselves men to my liking, whereas by what you have done, you have made me half afraid; I say, half afraid, that when they and we shall come to push a pike, I shall find that you want courage to stand it out any longer. Wherefore have I commanded a watch, and that you should double your guards at the gates? Wherefore have I endeavored to make you as hard as iron, and your hearts as a piece of the nether millstone? Was it, think you, that you might show yourselves women; and that you might go out, like a company of innocents, to gaze on your Mortal foe? Fie, fie, put yourselves into a posture of defence, beat up the drum, gather together in warlike manner, that our foes may know that, before they shall conquer this corporation, there are valiant men in Mansoul.

"I will leave off now to chide, and will not further rebuke you; but I charge you that henceforwards you let me see no more of such actions. Let not henceforwards a man of you, without order first obtained from me, so much as show his head over the town of Mansoul; you have now heard me: do as I have commanded, and you shall cause me that I dwell securely with you, and that as I take care for myself, so for your safety and honor also. Farewell."

Now were the townsfolk strangely altered; they were as men stricken with a panic of fear; they ran to and fro in the streets of the town of Mansoul, crying out, "help! help! the men that turn the world upside down are come hither also." Nor could any of them be quiet after; but still, as men bereft of wit, they cried out, "The destroyers of our peace and our people are come.' This went down with Diabolus. "Ah!" quoth he to himself, "this I like well, now it is as I would have it, now you show your obedience to your prince; hold you but here, and let them take the town if they can."

Well, before the king's forces had set before Mansoul three days, Captain Boanerges commanded his trumpeter to go down to Ear-gate; and there, in the name of the great Shaddai, to sum