Books: The Holy War

J >> John Bunyan >> The Holy War

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Then said the Prince, 'And what is he that is become thy companion
in this so weighty a matter?' So Mr. Desires told Emmanuel that he
was a poor neighbour of his, and one of his most intimate
associates. 'And his name,' said he, 'may it please your most
excellent Majesty, is Wet-Eyes, of the town of Mansoul, I know that
there are many of that name that are naught; but I hope it will be
no offence to my Lord that I have brought my poor neighbour with
me.'

Then Mr. Wet-Eyes fell on his face to the ground, and made this
apology for his coming with his neighbour to his Lord:-

'O, my Lord,' quoth he, 'what I am I know not myself, nor whether
my name be feigned or true, especially when I begin to think what
some have said, namely, That this name was given me because Mr.
Repentance was my father. Good men have bad children, and the
sincere do oftentimes beget hypocrites. My mother also called me
by this name from the cradle; but whether because of the moistness
of my brain, or because of the softness of my heart, I cannot tell.
I see dirt in mine own tears, and filthiness in the bottom of my
prayers. But I pray thee (and all this while the gentleman wept)
that thou wouldest not remember against us our transgressions, nor
take offence at the unqualifiedness of thy servants, but mercifully
pass by the sin of Mansoul, and refrain from the glorifying of thy
grace no longer.'

So at his bidding they arose, and both stood trembling before him,
and he spake to them to this purpose:-

"The town of Mansoul hath grievously rebelled against my Father, in
that they have rejected him from being their King, and did choose
to themselves for their captain a liar, a murderer, and a runagate
slave. For this Diabolus, your pretended prince, though once so
highly accounted of by you, made rebellion against my Father and
me, even in our palace and highest court there, thinking to become
a prince and king. But being there timely discovered and
apprehended, and for his wickedness bound in chains, and separated
to the pit with those that were his companions, he offered himself
to you, and you have received him.

'Now this is, and for a long time hath been, a high affront to my
Father; wherefore my Father sent to you a powerful army to reduce
you to your obedience. But you know how these men, their captains
and their counsels, were esteemed of you, and what they received at
your hand. You rebelled against them, you shut your gates upon
them, you bid them battle, you fought them, and fought for Diabolus
against them. So they sent to my Father for more power, and I,
with my men, are come to subdue you. But as you treated the
servants, so you treated their Lord. You stood up in hostile
manner against me, you shut up your gates against me, you turned
the deaf ear to me, and resisted as long as you could; but now I
have made a conquest of you. Did you cry me mercy so long as you
had hopes that you might prevail against me? But now I have taken
the town, you cry; but why did you not cry before, when the white
flag of my mercy, the red flag of justice, and the black flag that
threatened execution, were set up to cite you to it? Now I have
conquered your Diabolus, you come to me for favour; but why did you
not help me against the mighty? Yet I will consider your petition,
and will answer it so as will be for my glory.

'Go, bid Captain Boanerges and Captain Conviction bring the
prisoners out to me into the camp to-morrow, and say you to Captain
Judgment and Captain Execution, "Stay you in the castle, and take
good heed to yourselves that you keep all quiet in Mansoul until
you shall hear further from me."' And with that he turned himself
from them, and went into his royal pavilion again.

So the petitioners, having received this answer from the Prince,
returned, as at the first, to go to their companions again. But
they had not gone far, but thoughts began to work in their minds
that no mercy as yet was intended by the Prince to Mansoul. So
they went to the place where the prisoners lay bound; but these
workings of mind about what would become of Mansoul had such strong
power over them, that by that they were come unto them that sent
them, they were scarce able to deliver their message.

But they came at length to the gates of the town, (now the townsmen
with earnestness were waiting for their return,) where many met
them, to know what answer was made to the petition. Then they
cried out to those that were sent, 'What news from the Prince? and
what hath Emmanuel said?' But they said that they must, as afore,
go up to the prison, and there deliver their message. So away they
went to the prison, with a multitude at their heels. Now, when
they were come to the gates of the prison, they told the first part
of Emmanuel's speech to the prisoners, to wit, how he reflected
upon their disloyalty to his Father and himself, and how they had
chosen and closed with Diabolus, had fought for him, hearkened to
him, and been ruled by him; but had despised him and his men. This
made the prisoners look pale; but the messengers proceeded and
said, 'He, the Prince, said, moreover, that yet he would consider
your petition, and give such answer thereto as would stand with his
glory.' And as these words were spoken, Mr. Wet-Eyes gave a great
sigh. At this they were all of them struck into their dumps, and
could not tell what to say: fear also possessed them in a
marvellous manner, and death seemed to sit upon some of their
eyebrows. Now, there was in the company a notable, sharp-witted
fellow, a mean man of estate, and his name was old Inquisitive.
This man asked the petitioners if they had told out every whit of
what Emmanuel said, and they answered, 'Verily, no.' Then said
Inquisitive, 'I thought so, indeed. Pray, what was it more that he
said unto you?' Then they paused awhile; but at last they brought
out all, saying, 'The Prince bade us bid Captain Boanerges and
Captain Conviction bring the prisoners down to him to-morrow; and
that Captain Judgment and Captain Execution should take charge of
the castle and town till they should hear further from him. They
said also that when the Prince had commanded them thus to do, he
immediately turned his back upon them, and went into his royal
pavilion.

But, oh! how this return, and specially this last clause of it,
that the prisoners must go out to the Prince into the camp, brake
all their loins in pieces! Wherefore, with one voice they set up a
cry that reached up to the heavens. This done, each of the three
prepared himself to die; (and the Recorder said unto them, 'This
was the thing that I feared;') for they concluded that to-morrow,
by that the sun went down, they should be tumbled out of the world.
The whole town also counted of no other, but that, in their time
and order, they must all drink of the same cup. Wherefore the town
of Mansoul spent that night in mourning, and sackcloth and ashes.
The prisoners also, when the time was come for them to go down
before the Prince, dressed themselves in mourning attire, with
ropes upon their heads. The whole town of Mansoul also showed
themselves upon the wall, all clad in mourning weeds, if, perhaps,
the Prince with the sight thereof might be moved with compassion.
But, oh! how the busy-bodies that were in the town of Mansoul did
now concern themselves! They did run here and there through the
streets of the town by companies, crying out as they ran in
tumultuous wise, one after one manner, and another the quite
contrary, to the almost utter distraction of Mansoul.

Well, the time is come that the prisoners must go down to the camp,
and appear before the Prince. And thus was the manner of their
going down: Captain Boanerges went with a guard before them, and
Captain Conviction came behind, and the prisoners went down, bound
in chains, in the midst. So I say, the prisoners went in the
midst, and the guard went with flying colours behind and before,
but the prisoners went with drooping spirits.

Or, more particularly, thus: The prisoners went down all in
mourning: they put ropes upon themselves; they went on, smiting
themselves on the breasts, but durst not lift up their eyes to
heaven. Thus they went out at the gate of Mansoul, till they came
into the midst of the Prince's army, the sight and glory of which
did greatly heighten their affliction. Nor could they now longer
forbear, but cry out aloud, 'O unhappy men! O wretched men of
Mansoul!' Their chains, still mixing their dolorous notes with the
cries of the prisoners, made the noise more lamentable.

So, when they were come to the door of the Prince's pavilion, they
cast themselves prostrate upon the place; then one went in and told
his Lord that the prisoners were come down. The Prince then
ascended a throne of state, and sent for the prisoners in; who,
when they came, did tremble before him, also they covered their
faces with shame. Now, as they drew near to the place where he
sat, they threw themselves down before him. Then said the Prince
to the Captain Boanerges, 'Bid the prisoners stand upon their
feet.' Then they stood trembling before him, and he said, 'Are you
the men that heretofore were the servants of Shaddai?' And they
said, 'Yes, Lord, yes.' Then said the Prince again, 'Are you the
men that did suffer yourselves to be corrupted and defiled by that
abominable one, Diabolus?' And they said, 'We did more than suffer
it, Lord; for we chose it of our own mind.' The Prince asked
further, saying, 'Could you have been content that your slavery
should have continued under his tyranny as long as you had lived?'
Then said the prisoners, 'Yes, Lord, yes; for his ways were
pleasing to our flesh, and we were grown aliens to a better
state.'--'And did you,' said he, 'when I came up against this town
of Mansoul, heartily wish that I might not have the victory over
you?'--'Yes, Lord, yes,' said they. Then said the Prince, 'And
what punishment is it, think you, that you deserve at my hand, for
these and other your high and mighty sins?'--And they said, 'Both
death and the deep, Lord; for we have deserved no less.' He asked
again if they had aught to say for themselves why the sentence,
that they confessed that they had deserved, should not be passed
upon them? And they said, 'We can say nothing, Lord: thou art
just, for we have sinned.' Then said the Prince, 'And for what are
those ropes on your heads?' The prisoners answered, 'These ropes
are to bind us withal to the place of execution, if mercy be not
pleasing in thy sight.' So he further asked if all the men in the
town of Mansoul were in this confession, as they? And they
answered, 'All the natives, Lord; but for the Diabolonians that
came into our town when the tyrant got possession of us, we can say
nothing for them.'

Then the Prince commanded that a herald should be called, and that
he should, in the midst and throughout the camp of Emmanuel,
proclaim, and that with sound of trumpet, that the Prince, the Son
of Shaddai, had, in his Father's name, and for his Father's glory,
gotten a perfect conquest and victory over Mansoul; and that the
prisoners should follow him, and say Amen. So, this was done as he
had commanded. And presently the music that was in the upper
region sounded melodiously, the captains that were in the camp
shouted, and the soldiers did sing songs of triumph to the Prince;
the colours waved in the wind, and great joy was everywhere, only
it was wanting as yet in the hearts of the men of Mansoul.

Then the Prince called for the prisoners to come and to stand again
before him, and they came and stood trembling. And he said unto
them, 'The sins, trespasses, iniquities, that you, with the whole
town of Mansoul, have from time to time committed against my Father
and me, I have power and commandment from my Father to forgive to
the town of Mansoul, and do forgive you accordingly.' And having
so said, he gave them, written in parchment, and sealed with seven
seals, a large and general pardon, commanding my Lord Mayor, my
Lord Willbewill, and Mr. Recorder, to proclaim and cause it to be
proclaimed to-morrow, by that the sun is up, throughout the whole
town of Mansoul.

Moreover, the Prince stripped the prisoners of their mourning
weeds, and gave them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

Then he gave to each of the three jewels of gold and precious
stones, and took away their ropes, and put chains of gold about
their necks, and ear-rings in their ears. Now, the prisoners, when
they did hear the gracious words of Prince Emmanuel, and had beheld
all that was done unto them, fainted almost quite away; for the
grace, the benefit, the pardon, was sudden, glorious, and so big,
that they were not able, without staggering, to stand up under it.
Yea, my Lord Willbewill swooned outright; but the Prince stepped to
him, put his everlasting arms under him, embraced him, kissed him,
and bid him be of good cheer, for all should be performed according
to his word. He also did kiss, and embrace, and smile upon the
other two that were Willbewill'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 in 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: also they 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 a 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 dreamed of.

The Prince also called for the noble Captain Credence, and
commanded that he and some of his officers should march before the
noble men of Mansoul with flying colours into the town. He gave
also unto Captain Credence a charge, that about that 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 thousands at his feet and that he should so go
until he came 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 stronghold 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.

Well, I told you before how the prisoners were entertained by the
noble Prince Emmanuel, and how they behaved themselves before him,
and how he sent them away to their home 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 returning
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, specially 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 their feet in fetters, but came back
with their steps enlarged under them; they went also to the camp
looking for death, but they 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 as 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 it was to them as life from the dead
to see the ancients of the town of Mansoul shine in such splendour.
They looked for nothing but the axe and the block; but, behold, joy
and gladness, comfort and consolation, and such melodious notes
attending them that was sufficient to make a sick man well.

So, when they came up, they saluted each other with, 'Welcome,
welcome! and blessed be he that has 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 inquired yet more particularly how
things went in the camp, and what message they had from Emmanuel to
the town. So they told them all passages that had happened to them
at the camp, and everything that the Prince did to them. This made
Mansoul wonder at the wisdom and grace of the Prince Emmanuel.
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, PARDON for Mansoul! and this shall
Mansoul know to-morrow!' Then he commanded, and they went and
summoned Mansoul to meet together in the market-place to-morrow,
then 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 Mansoul's happiness was then all that
Mansoul had to do; and this was the burden of all their song: 'Oh!
more of this at the rising of the sun! more of this to-morrow!'
'Who thought yesterday,' would one 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 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
show such kind of favours to traitors? No; this is only peculiar
to Shaddai, and unto Emmanuel, his Son!'

Now morning drew on apace; wherefore the Lord Mayor, the Lord
Willbewill, 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 lightened with their glory. So the Mayor,
Recorder, and my Lord Willbewill 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 tabrets went before
them. Now, the eagerness of the people to know the full of the
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, merciful
and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgressions, and sins, and to
them all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven,' etc., they
could not forbear leaping 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 show.

When the Recorder had made an end of reading the pardon, the
townsmen ran up upon the walls of the town, and leaped and skipped
thereon for joy, and bowed themselves seven times with their faces
toward Emmanuel's pavilion, and shouted out aloud for joy, and
said, 'Let Emmanuel live for ever!' Then order was given to the
young men in Mansoul 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 in
that morning, that the Recorder should read the pardon in Mansoul,
to do his further pleasure. So the morning, as I have showed,
being come, just as the Recorder had made an end of reading the
pardon, Emmanuel 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 show 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, showed himself with sound of trumpet
to Mansoul and to the Prince's camp.

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

Now, when the Prince had completed these, the outward ceremonies of
his joy, he again commanded that his captains and soldiers should
show unto Mansoul some feats of war: so they presently addressed
themselves to this work. But oh! 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, with that aptness, and then were all as the
were again, that they took--yea, ravished, the hearts that were in
Mansoul to behold it. But add to this, the handling of their arms,
the managing of their weapons of war, were marvellously taking to
Mansoul and me.

When this action was over, the whole town of Mansoul came out as
one man to the Prince in the camp to thank him, and praise him for
his abundant favour, and to beg that it would please his grace to
come unto Mansoul with his men, and there to take up their quarters
for ever: and this they did in most humble manner, bowing
themselves seven times to the ground before him. Then said he,
'All peace be to you.' So the town came nigh, and touched with the
hand the top of his golden sceptre; and they said, 'Oh! that the
Prince Emmanuel, with his captains and men of war, would dwell in
Mansoul for ever; and that his battering-rams and slings might be
lodged in her for the use and service of the Prince, and for the
help and strength of Mansoul. For,' said they, 'we have room for
thee, we have room for thy men, we have also room for thy weapons
of war, and a place to make a magazine for thy carriages. Do it,
Emmanuel, and thou shalt be King and Captain in Mansoul for ever.
Yea, govern thou also according to all the desire of thy soul, and
make thou governors and princes under thee of thy captains and men
of war, and we will become thy servants, and thy laws shall be our
direction.'

They added, moreover, and prayed his Majesty to consider thereof;
'for,' said they, 'if now, after all this grace bestowed upon us,
thy miserable town of Mansoul, thou shouldest withdraw, thou and
thy captains, from us, the town of Mansoul will die. Yea,' said
they, 'our blessed Emmanuel, if thou shouldest depart from us now,
now thou hast done so much good for us, and showed so much mercy
unto us, what will follow but that our joy will be as if it had not
been, and our enemies will a second time come upon us with more
rage than at the first? Wherefore, we beseech thee, O thou, the
desire of our eyes, and the strength and life of our poor town,
accept of this motion that now we have made unto our Lord, and come
and dwell in the midst of us, and let us be thy people. Besides,
Lord, we do not know but that to this day many Diabolonians may be
yet lurking in the town of Mansoul, and they will betray us, when
thou shalt leave us, into the hand of Diabolus again; and who knows
what designs, plots, or contrivances have passed betwixt them about
these things already? Loath we are to fall again into his horrible
hands. Wherefore, let it please thee to accept of our palace for
thy place of residence, and of the houses of the best men in our
town for the reception of thy soldiers and their furniture.'

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