Books: The Holy War
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John Bunyan >> The Holy War
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5. It was further concluded then, that with what speed, and with
what warmth of mind they could, they would renew their humiliation
for sin, and their petitions to Shaddai for help; they also
resolved, to send tidings to the court of all that Mr. Prywell had
told them.
6. It was also determined, that thanks should be given by the town
of Mansoul to Mr. Prywell, for his diligent seeking of the welfare
of their town: and further, that forasmuch as he was so naturally
inclined to seek their good, and also to undermine their foes, they
gave him a commission of scout-master-general, for the good of the
town of Mansoul.
When the corporation, with their captains, had thus concluded, they
did as they had said; they shut up their gates, they made for
Diabolonians strict search, they made those with whom any were
found to take penance in the open place: they kept their fast, and
renewed their petitions to their Prince, and Mr. Prywell managed
his charge and the trust that Mansoul had put in his hands, with
great conscience and good fidelity; for he gave himself wholly up
to his employ, and that not only within the town, but he went out
to pry, to see, and to hear.
And not many days after he provided for his journey, and went
towards Hell-Gate Hill, into the country where the Doubters were,
where he heard of all that had been talked of in Mansoul, and he
perceived also that Diabolus was almost ready for his march, etc.
So he came back with speed, and, calling the captains and elders of
Mansoul together, he told them where he had been, what he had
heard, and what he had seen. Particularly, he told them that
Diabolus was almost ready for his march, and that he had made old
Mr. Incredulity, that once brake prison in Mansoul, the, general of
his army; that his army consisted all of Doubters, and that their
number was above twenty thousand. He told, moreover, that Diabolus
did intend to bring with him the chief princes of the infernal pit,
and that he would make them chief captains over his Doubters. He
told them, moreover, that it was certainly true that several of the
black den would, with Diabolus, ride reformades to reduce the town
of Mansoul to the obedience of Diabolus, their prince.
He said, moreover, that he understood by the Doubters, among whom
he had been, that the reason why old Incredulity was made general
of the whole army, was because none truer than he to the tyrant;
and because he had an implacable spite against the welfare of the
town of Mansoul. Besides, said he, he remembers the affronts that
Mansoul has given him, and he is resolved to be revenged of them.
But the black princes shall be made high commanders, only
Incredulity shall be over them all; because, which I had almost
forgot, he can more easily, and more dexterously, beleaguer the
town of Mansoul, than can any of the princes besides.
Now, when the captains of Mansoul, with the elders of the town, had
heard the tidings that Mr. Prywell did bring, they thought it
expedient, without further delay, to put into execution the laws
that against the Diabolonians their Prince had made for them, and
given them in commandment to manage against them. Wherefore,
forthwith a diligent and impartial search was made in all houses in
Mansoul, for all and all manner of Diabolonians. Now, in the house
of Mr. Mind, and in the house of the great Lord Willbewill, were
two Diabolonians found. In Mr. Mind's house was one Lord
Covetousness found; but he had changed his name to Prudent-Thrifty.
In my Lord Willbewill's house, one Lasciviousness was found; but he
had changed his name to Harmless-Mirth. These two the captains and
elders of the town of Mansoul took, and committed them to custody
under the hand of Mr. Trueman, the gaoler; and this man handled
them so severely, and loaded them so well with irons, that in time
they both fell into a very deep consumption, and died in the
prison-house; their masters also, according to the agreement of the
captains and elders, were brought to take penance in the open place
to their shame, and for a warning to the rest of the town of
Mansoul.
Now, this was the manner of penance in those days: the persons
offending being made sensible of the evil of their doings, were
enjoined open confession of their faults, and a strict amendment of
their lives.
After this, the captains and elders of Mansoul sought yet to find
out more Diabolonians, wherever they lurked, whether in dens,
caves, holes, vaults, or where else they could, in or about the
wall or town of Mansoul. But though they could plainly see their
footing, and so follow them by their track and smell to their
holds, even to the mouths of their caves and dens, yet take them,
hold them, and do justice upon them, they could not; their ways
were so crooked, their holds so strong, and they so quick to take
sanctuary there.
But Mansoul did now with so stiff an hand rule over the
Diabolonians that were left, that they were glad to shrink into
corners: time was when they durst walk openly, and in the day; but
now they were forced to embrace privacy and the night: time was
when a Mansoulian was their companion; but now they counted them
deadly enemies. This good change did Mr. Prywell's intelligence
make in the famous town of Mansoul.
By this time, Diabolus had finished his army which he intended to
bring with him for the ruin of Mansoul; and had set over them
captains, and other field officers, such as liked his furious
stomach best: himself was lord paramount, Incredulity was general
of his army, their highest captains shall be named afterwards; but
now for their officers, colours, and scutcheons.
1. Their first captain was Captain Rage: he was captain over the
election doubters, his were the red colours; his standard-bearer
was Mr. Destructive, and the great red dragon he had for his
scutcheon.
2. The second captain was Captain Fury: he was captain over the
vocation doubters; his standard-bearer was Mr. Darkness, his
colours were those that were pale, and he had for his scutcheon the
fiery flying serpent.
3. The third captain was Captain Damnation: he was captain over
the grace doubters; his were the red colours, Mr. No-Life bare
them, and he had for his scutcheon the black den.
4. The fourth captain was Captain Insatiable; he was captain over
the faith doubters: his were the red colours, Mr. Devourer bare
them, and he had for a scutcheon the yawning jaws.
5. The fifth captain was Captain Brimstone: he was captain over
the perseverance doubters; his also were the red colours, Mr.
Burning bare them, and his scutcheon was the blue and stinking
flame.
6. The sixth captain was Captain Torment: he was captain over the
resurrection doubters; his colours were those that were pale; Mr.
Gnaw was his standard-bearer, and he had the black worm for his
scutcheon.
7. The seventh captain was Captain No-Ease; he was captain over the
salvation doubters; his were the red colours, Mr. Restless bare
them, and his scutcheon was the ghastly picture of death.
8. The eighth captain was the Captain Sepulchre: he was captain
over the glory doubters; his also were the pale colours, Mr.
Corruption was his standard-bearer, and he had for his scutcheon a
skull, and dead men's bones.
9. The ninth captain was Captain Past-Hope; he was captain of those
that are called the felicity doubters; his standard-bearer was Mr.
Despair; his also were the red colours, and his scutcheon was a hot
iron and the hard heart.
These were his captains, and these were their forces, these were
their standards, these were their colours, and these were their
scutcheons. Now, over these did the great Diabolus make superior
captains, and they were in number seven: as, namely, the Lord
Beelzebub, the Lord Lucifer, the Lord Legion, the Lord Apollyon,
the Lord Python, the Lord Cerberus, and the Lord Belial; these
seven he set over the captains, and Incredulity was lord-general,
and, Diabolus was king. The reformades also, such as were like
themselves, were made some of them captains of hundreds, and some
of them captains of more. And thus was the army of Incredulity
completed.
So they set out at Hell-Gate Hill, for there they had their
rendezvous, from whence they came with a straight course upon their
march toward the town of Mansoul. Now, as was hinted before, the
town had, as Shaddai would have it, received from the mouth of Mr.
Prywell the alarm of their coming before. Wherefore they set a
strong watch at the gates, and had also doubled their guards: they
also mounted their slings in good places, where they might
conveniently cast out their great stones to the annoyance of their
furious enemy.
Nor could those Diabolonians that were in the town do that hurt as
was designed they should; for Mansoul was now awake. But alas!
poor people, they were sorely affrighted at the first appearance of
their foes, and at their sitting down before the town, especially
when they heard the roaring of their drum. This, to speak truth,
was amazingly hideous to hear; it frighted all men seven miles
round, if they were but awake and heard it. The streaming of their
colours was also terrible and dejecting to behold.
When Diabolus was come up against the town, first he made his
approach to Ear-gate, and gave it a furious assault, supposing, as
it seems, that his friends in Mansoul had been ready to do the work
within; but care was taken of that before, by the vigilance of the
captains. Wherefore, missing of the help that he expected from
them, and finding his army warmly attended with the stones that the
slingers did sling, (for that I will say for the captains, that
considering the weakness that yet was upon them by reason of the
long sickness that had annoyed the town of Mansoul, they did
gallantly behave themselves,) he was forced to make some retreat
from Mansoul, and to entrench himself and his men in the field
without the reach of the slings of the town.
Now having entrenched himself, he did cast up four mounts against
the town: the first he called Mount Diabolus, putting his own name
thereon, the more to affright the town of Mansoul; the other three
he called thus--Mount Alecto, Mount Megara, and Mount Tisiphone;
for these are the names of the dreadful furies of hell. Thus he
began to play his game with Mansoul, and to serve it as doth the
lion his prey, even to make it fall before his terror. But, as I
said, the captains and soldiers resisted so stoutly, and did do
such execution with their stones, that they made him, though
against stomach, to retreat, wherefore Mansoul began to take
courage.
Now upon Mount Diabolus, which was raised on the north side of the
town, there did the tyrant set up his standard, and a fearful thing
it was to behold; for he had wrought in it by devilish art, after
the manner of a scutcheon, a flaming flame fearful to behold, and
the picture of Mansoul burning in it.
When Diabolus had thus done, he commanded that his drummer should
every night approach the walls of the town of Mansoul, and so to
beat a parley; the command was to do it at nights, for in the
daytime they annoyed him with their slings; for the tyrant said,
that he had a mind to parley with the now trembling town of
Mansoul, and he commanded that the drums should beat every night,
that through weariness they might at last, if possible, (at the
first they were unwilling yet,) be forced to do it.
So this drummer did as commanded: he arose, and did beat his drum.
But when his drum did go, if one looked toward the town of Mansoul,
'Behold darkness and sorrow, and the light was darkened in the
heaven thereof.' No noise was ever heard upon earth more terrible,
except the voice of Shaddai when he speaketh. But how did Mansoul
tremble! it now looked for nothing but forthwith to be swallowed
up.
When this drummer had beaten for a parley, he made this speech to
Mansoul: 'My master has bid me tell you, that if you will
willingly submit, you shall have the good of the earth; but if you
shall be stubborn, he is resolved to take you by force.' But by
that the fugitive had done beating his drum, the people of Mansoul
had betaken themselves to the captains that were in the castle, so
that there was none to regard, nor to give this drummer an answer;
so he proceeded no further that night, but returned again to his
master to the camp.
When Diabolus saw that by drumming he could not work out Mansoul to
his will, the next night he sendeth his drummer without his drum,
still to let the townsmen know that he had a mind to parley with
them. But when all came to all, his parley was turned into a
summons to the town to deliver up themselves: but they gave him
neither heed nor hearing: for they remembered what at first it
cost them to hear him a few words.
The next night he sends again, and then who should be his messenger
to Mansoul but the terrible Captain Sepulchre; so Captain Sepulchre
came up to the walls of Mansoul, and made this oration to the
town:-
'O ye inhabitants of the rebellious town of Mansoul! I summon you
in the name of the Prince Diabolus, that, without any more ado, you
set open the gates of your town, and admit the great lord to come
in. But if you shall still rebel, when we have taken to us the
town by force, we will swallow you up as the grave; wherefore if
you will hearken to my summons, say so, and if not then let me
know.
'The reason of this my summons,' quoth he, 'is, for that my lord is
your undoubted prince and lord, as you yourselves have formerly
owned. Nor shall that assault that was given to my lord, when
Emmanuel dealt so dishonourably by him, prevail with him to lose
his right, and to forbear to attempt to recover his own. Consider,
then, O Mansoul, with thyself, wilt thou show thyself peaceable, or
no? If thou shalt quietly yield up thyself, then our old
friendship shall be renewed; but if thou shalt yet refuse and
rebel, then expect nothing but fire and sword.'
When the languishing town of Mansoul had heard this summoner and
his summons, they were yet more put to their dumps, but made to the
captain no answer at all; so away he went as he came.
But, after some consultation among themselves, as also with some of
their captains, they applied themselves afresh to the Lord
Secretary for counsel and advice from him; for this Lord Secretary
was their chief preacher, (as also is mentioned some pages before,)
only now he was ill at ease; and of him they begged favour in these
two or three things -
1. That he would look comfortably upon them, and not keep himself
so much retired from them as formerly. Also, that he would be
prevailed with to give them a hearing, while they should make known
their miserable condition to him. But to this he told them as
before, that 'as yet he was but ill at ease, and therefore could
not do as he had formerly done.'
2. The second thing that they desired was, that he would be pleased
to give them his advice about their now so important affairs, for
that Diabolus was come and set down before the town with no less
than twenty thousand doubters. They said, moreover, that both he
and his captains were cruel men, and that they were afraid of them.
But to this he said, 'You must look to the law of the Prince, and
there see what is laid upon you to do.'
3. Then they desired that his highness would help them to frame a
petition to Shaddai, and unto Emmanuel his Son, and that he would
set his own hand thereto as a token that he was one with them in
it: 'For,' said they, 'my Lord, many a one have we sent, but can
get no answer of peace; but now, surely, one with thy hand unto it
may obtain good for Mansoul.'
But all the answer that he gave to this was, 'that they had
offended their Emmanuel, and had also grieved himself, and that
therefore they must as yet partake of their own devices.'
This answer of the Lord Secretary fell like a millstone upon them;
yea, it crushed them so that they could not tell what to do; yet
they durst not comply with the demands of Diabolus, nor with the
demands of his captain. So then here were the straits that the
town of Mansoul was betwixt, when the enemy came upon her: her
foes were ready to swallow her up, and her friends did forbear to
help her.
Then stood up my Lord Mayor, whose name was my Lord Understanding,
and he began to pick and pick, until he had picked comfort out of
that seemingly bitter saying of the Lord Secretary; for thus he
descanted upon it: 'First,' said he, 'this unavoidably follows
upon the saying of my Lord, "that we must yet suffer for our sins."
Secondly, But,' quoth he, 'the words yet sound as if at last we
should be saved from our enemies, and that after a few more
sorrows, Emmanuel will come and be our help.' Now the Lord Mayor
was the more critical in his dealing with the Secretary's words,
because my lord was more than a prophet, and because none of his
words were such, but that at all times they were most exactly
significant; and the townsmen were allowed to pry into them, and to
expound them to their best advantage.
So they took their leaves of my lord, and returned, and went, and
came to the captains, to whom they did tell what my Lord High
Secretary had said; who, when they had heard it, were all of the
same opinion as was my Lord Mayor himself. The captains,
therefore, began to take some courage unto them, and to prepare to
make some brave attempt upon the camp of the enemy, and to destroy
all that were Diabolonians, with the roving doubters that the
tyrant had brought with him to destroy the poor town of Mansoul.
So all betook themselves forthwith to their places--the Captains to
theirs, the Lord Mayor to his, the subordinate preacher to his, and
my Lord Willbewill to his. The captains longed to be at some work
for their prince; for they delighted in warlike achievements. The
next day, therefore, they came together and consulted; and after
consultation had, they resolved to give an answer to the captain of
Diabolus with slings; and so they did at the rising of the sun on
the morrow; for Diabolus had adventured to come nearer again, but
the sling-stones were to him and his like hornets. For as there is
nothing to the town of Mansoul so terrible as the roaring of
Diabolus's drum, so there is nothing to Diabolus so terrible as the
well playing of Emmanuel's slings. Wherefore Diabolus was forced
to make another retreat, yet further off from the famous town of
Mansoul. Then did the Lord Mayor of Mansoul cause the bells to be
rung, 'and that thanks should be sent to the Lord High Secretary by
the mouth of the subordinate preacher; for that by his words the
captains and elders of Mansoul had been strengthened against
Diabolus.'
When Diabolus saw that his captains and soldiers, high lords and
renowned, were frightened, and beaten down by the stones that came
from the golden slings of the Prince of the town of Mansoul, he
bethought himself, and said, 'I will try to catch them by fawning,
I will try to flatter them into my net.'
Wherefore, after a while, he came down again to the wall, not now
with his drum, nor with Captain Sepulchre; but having all besugared
his lips, he seemed to be a very sweet-mouthed, peaceable prince,
designing nothing for humour's sake, nor to be revenged on Mansoul
for injuries by them done to him; but the welfare, and good, and
advantage of the town and people therein was now, as he said, his
only design. Wherefore, after he had called for audience, and
desired that the townsfolk would give it to him, he proceeded in
his oration, and said:-
'Oh, the desire of my heart, the famous town of Mansoul! how many
nights have I watched, and how many weary steps have I taken, if
perhaps I might do thee good! Far be it, far be it from me to
desire to make a war upon you; if ye will but willingly and quietly
deliver up yourselves unto me. You know that you were mine of old.
Remember also, that so long as you enjoyed me for your lord, and
that I enjoyed you for my subjects, you wanted for nothing of all
the delights of the earth, that I, your lord and prince, could get
for you, or that I could invent to make you bonny and blithe
withal. Consider, you never had so many hard, dark, troublesome,
and heart-afflicting hours, while you were mine, as you have had
since you revolted from me; nor shall you ever have peace again,
until you and I become one as before. But, be but prevailed with
to embrace me again, and I will grant, yea, enlarge your old
charter with abundance of privileges; so that your license and
liberty shall be to take, hold, enjoy, and make your own all that
is pleasant from the east to the west. Nor shall any of those
incivilities, wherewith you have offended me, be ever charged upon
you by me, so long as the sun and moon endure. Nor shall any of
those dear friends of mine that now, for the fear of you, lie
lurking in dens, and holes, and caves in Mansoul, be hurtful to you
any more; yea, they shall be your servants, and shall minister unto
you of their substance, and of whatever shall come to hand. I need
speak no more; you know them, and have sometime since been much
delighted in their company. Why, then, should we abide at such
odds? Let us renew our old acquaintance and friendship again.
'Bear with your friend; I take the liberty at this time to speak
thus freely unto you. The love that I have to you presses me to do
it, as also does the zeal of my heart for my friends with you: put
me not therefore to further trouble, nor yourselves to further
fears and frights. Have you I will, in a way of peace or war; nor
do you flatter yourselves with the power and force of your
captains, or that your Emmanuel will shortly come in to your help;
for such strength will do you no pleasure.
'I am come against you with a stout and valiant army, and all the
chief princes of the den are even at the head of it. Besides, my
captains are swifter than eagles, stronger than lions, and more
greedy of prey than are the evening wolves. What is Og of Bashan!
what is Goliath of Gath! and what are an hundred more of them, to
one of the least of my captains! How, then, shall Mansoul think to
escape my hand and force?'
Diabolus having thus handed his flattering, fawning, deceitful, and
lying speech to the famous town of Mansoul, the Lord Mayor replied
to him as follows: 'O Diabolus, prince of darkness, and master of
all deceit; thy lying flatteries we have had and made sufficient
probation of, and have tasted too deeply of that destructive cup
already. Should we therefore again hearken unto thee, and so break
the commandments of our great Shaddai, to join in affinity with
thee, would not our Prince reject us, and cast us off for ever?
And, being cast off by him, can the place that he has prepared for
thee be a place of rest for us? Besides, O thou that art empty and
void of all truth, we are rather ready to die by thy hand, than to
fall in with thy flattering and lying deceits.'
When the tyrant saw that there was little to be got by parleying
with my Lord Mayor, he fell into an hellish rage, and resolved that
again, with his army of doubters, he would another time assault the
town of Mansoul.
So he called for his drummer, who beat up for his men (and while he
did beat, Mansoul did shake) to be in a readiness to give battle to
the corporation: then Diabolus drew near with his army, and thus
disposed of his men. Captain Cruel and Captain Torment, these he
drew up and placed against Feel-gate, and commanded them to sit
down there for the war. And he also appointed that, if need were,
Captain No-Ease should come in to their relief. At Nose-gate he
placed the Captain Brimstone and Captain Sepulchre, and bid them
look well to their ward, on that side of the town of Mansoul. But
at Eye-gate he placed that grim-faced one, the Captain Past-Hope,
and there also now he did set up his terrible standard.
Now Captain Insatiable, he was to look to the carriages of
Diabolus, and was also appointed to take into custody that, or
those persons and things, that should at any time as prey be taken
from the enemy.
Now Mouth-gate the inhabitants of Mansoul kept for a sally-port;
wherefore that they kept strong; for that it was it by and out at
which the townsfolk did send their petitions to Emmanuel their
Prince. That also was the gate from the top of which the captains
did play their slings at the enemies; for that gate stood somewhat
ascending, so that the placing of them there, and the letting of
them fly from that place, did much execution against the tyrant's
army. Wherefore, for these causes, with others, Diabolus sought,
if possible, to land up Mouth-gate with dirt.
Now, as Diabolus was busy and industrious in preparing to make his
assault upon the town of Mansoul, without, so the captains and
soldiers in the corporation were as busy in preparing within; they
mounted their slings, they set up their banners, they sounded their
trumpets, and put themselves in such order as was judged most for
the annoyance of the enemy, and for the advantage of Mansoul, and
gave to their soldiers orders to be ready at the sound of the
trumpet for war. The Lord Willbewill also, he took the charge of
watching against the rebels within, and to do what he could to take
them while without, or to stifle them within their caves, dens, and
holes in the town-wall of Mansoul. And, to speak the truth of him,
ever since he took penance for his fault, he has showed as much
honesty and bravery of spirit as any he in Mansoul; for he took one
Jolly, and his brother Griggish, the two sons of his servant
Harmless-Mirth, (for to that day, though the father was committed
to ward, the sons had a dwelling in the house of my lord,)--I say,
he took them, and with his own hands put them to the cross. And
this was the reason why he hanged them up: after their father was
put into the hands of Mr. True-Man the gaoler, they, his sons,
began to play his pranks, and to be ticking and toying with the
daughters of their lord; nay, it was jealoused that they were too
familiar with them, the which was brought to his lordship's ear.
Now his lordship being unwilling unadvisedly to put any man to
death, did not suddenly fall upon them, but set watch and spies to
see if the thing was true; of the which he was soon informed, for
his two servants, whose names were Find-Out and Tell-All, catched
them together in uncivil manner more than once or twice, and went
and told their lord. So when my Lord Willbewill had sufficient
ground to believe the thing was true, he takes the two young
Diabolonians, (for such they were, for their father was a
Diabolonian born,) and has them to Eye-gate, where he raised a very
high cross, just in the face of Diabolus, and of his army, and
there he hanged the young villains, in defiance to Captain Past-
Hope, and of the horrible standard of the tyrant.
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