Chapter X
[CONTENTS:—The strongholds of Diabolus destroyed— Incredulity, Forget-good, Lustings, and other Diabolonians, apprehended, tried, and executed, to the great joy of Mansoul.]After this was done, Emmanuel gave out a commandment that those three great Diabolonians should be apprehended; namely, the two late Lord Mayors; to wit, Mr. Incredulity, Mr. Lustings, and Mr. Forget-good the Recorder. Besides these, there were some of them that Diabolus made burgesses and aldermen in Mansoul, that were committed to ward by the hand of the now valiant, and now right noble, the brave Lord Will-be-will. And these were their names: Alderman Atheism, Alderman Hard-heart, and Alderman False-peace. The burgesses were, Mr. No-truth, Mr. Pitiless, Mr. Haughty, with the like. These were committed to close custody; and the jailer's name was Mr. True-man; this True-man was one of those that Emmanuel brought with him from his Father's court, when at the first he made a war upon Diabolus in the town or Mansoul.
After this, the Prince gave a charge that the three strong holds, that at the command of Diabolus the Diabolonians built in Mansoul, should be demolished, and utterly pulled down; of which holds and their names, with their captains and governors, you read a little before. But this was long in doing, because of the largeness of the places, and because the stones, the timber, the iron, and all rubbish, was to be carried without the town.[229]
When this was done, the Prince gave order that the Lord Mayor and aldermen of Mansoul should call a court of judicature for the trial and execution of the Diabolonians in the corporation, now under the charge of Mr. True-man, the jailer.
Now when the time was come, and the court set, commandment was sent to Mr. True-man the jailer, to bring the prisoners down to the bar. Then were the prisoners brought down, pinioned, and chained together, as the custom of the town of Mansoul was. So when they were presented before the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, and the rest of the honourable bench, first, the jury was empannelled, and then the witnesses sworn. The names of the jury were these; Mr. Belief, Mr. True-heart, Mr. Upright, Mr. Hate-bad, Mr. Love-God, Mr. See-truth, Mr. Heavenly-mind, Mr. Moderate, Mr. Thankful, Mr. Good-work, Mr. Zeal-for-God, and Mr. Humble.[230] The names of the witnesses were Mr. Know-all, Mr. Tell-true, Mr. Hate-lies, with my Lord Will-be-will and his man, if need were.
So the prisoners were set to the bar; then said Mr. Do- right, for he was the Town-Clerk, Set Atheism to the bar, jailer. So he was set to the bar. Then said the Clerk, Atheism, hold up thy hand. Thou art here indicted by the name of Atheism, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou hast perniciously and doltishly taught and maintained that there is no God; and so no heed to be taken to religion. This thou hast done against the being, honour, and glory of the King, and against the peace and safety of the town of Mansoul. What sayest thou, art thou guilty of this indictment, or not?
ATHEISM. Not guilty.
CRIER. Call Mr. Know-all, Mr. Tell-true, and Mr. Hate-lies, into the court. So they were called, and they appeared.
CLERK. Then said the Clerk, You, the witnesses for the King, look upon the prisoner at the bar; do you know him?
KNOW. Then said Mr. Know-all, Yes my Lord, we know him, his name is Atheism; he has been a very pestilent fellow for many years in the miserable town of Mansoul.
CLERK. You are sure you know him.
KNOW. Know him! Yes, my Lord; I have heretofore too often been in his company, to be at this time ignorant of him. He is a Diabolonian, the son of a Diabolonian, I knew his grandfather, and his father.
CLERK. Well said. He standeth here indicted by the name of Atheism, &c., and is charged that he hath maintained and taught that there is no God, and so no heed need be taken to any religion. What say you, the King's witnesses, to this? Is he guilty, or not?
KNOW. My Lord, I and he were once in Villain's Lane together, and he at that time did briskly talk of divers opinions, and then and there I heard him say that for his part he did believe that there was no God. But, said he, I can profess one, and be as religious too, if the company I am in, and the circumstances of other things, said he, shall put me upon it.
CLERK. You are sure you heard him say thus.
KNOW. Upon mine oath I heard him say thus.
Then said the Clerk, Mr. Tell-true, What say you to the King's judges, touching the prisoner at the bar?
TELL. My Lord, I formerly was a great companion of his, for the which I now repent me, and I have often heard him say, and that with very great stomachfulness, that he believed there was neither God, angel, nor spirit.
CLERK. Where did you hear him say so?
TELL. In Blackmouth Lane, and in Blasphemer's Row, and in many other places besides.
CLERK. Have you much knowledge of him?
TELL. I know him to be a Diabolonian, the son of a Diabolonian, and a horrible man to deny a Deity; his Father's name was Never-be-good, and he had more children than this Atheism. I have no more to say.
CLERK. Mr. Hate-lies, look upon the prisoner at the bar; do you know him?
HATE. My Lord, this Atheism is one of the vilest wretches that ever I came near, or had to do with in my life. I have heard him say that there is no God; I have heard him say that there is no world to come, no sin, nor punishment hereafter; and moreover, I have heard him say that it was as good to go to a whore-house as to go to hear a sermon.
CLERK. Where did you hear him say these things?
HATE. In Drunkard's Row, just at Rascal-lane's End, at a house in which Mr. Impiety lived.[231]
CLERK. Set him by, jailer, and set Mr. Lustings to the bar.
Mr. Lustings, Thou art here indicted by the name of Lustings, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou hast devilishly and traitorously taught, by practice and filthy words, that it is lawful and profitable to man to give way to his carnal desires; and that thou, for thy part, hast not, nor never wilt deny thyself of any sinful delight, as long as thy name is Lustings. How sayest thou, art thou guilty of this indictment or not?
LUST. Then said Mr. Lustings, My Lord, I am a man of high birth, and have been used to pleasures and pastimes of greatness. I have not been wont to be snubbed for my doings, but have been left to follow my will as if it were law. And it seems strange to me that I should this day be called into question for that, that not only I, but also all men do either secretly or openly countenance, love, and approve of.
CLERK. Sir, we concern not ourselves with your greatness, though the higher the better you should have been, but we are concerned, and so are you now, about an indictment preferred against you. How say you, are you guilty of it, or not?
LUST. Not guilty.
CLERK. Crier, Call upon the witnesses to stand forth, and give their evidence.
CRIER. Gentlemen, you the witnesses for the King, come in, and give in your evidence for our Lord the King, against the prisoner at the bar.
CLERK. Come, Mr. Know-all, look upon the prisoner at the bar; do you know him?
KNOW. Yes, my Lord, I know him.
CLERK. What is his name?
KNOW. His name is Lustings; he was the son of one Beastly, and his mother bare him in Flesh Street; she was one Evil- concupiscence's daughter. I knew all the generation of them.
CLERK. Well said. You have here heard his indictment, what say you to it, is he guilty of the things charged against him, or not?
KNOW. My Lord, he has, as he saith, been a great man indeed; and greater in wickedness than by pedigree, more than a thousandfold.
CLERK. But what do you know of his particular actions, and especially with reference to his indictment?
KNOW. I know him to be a swearer, a liar, a Sabbath-breaker; I know him to be a fornicator, and an unclean person; I know him to be guilty of abundance of evils. He has been to my knowledge a very filthy man.
CLERK. But where did he use to commit his wickednesses, in some private corners, or more open and shamelessly?
KNOW. All the town over, my Lord.
CLERK. Come, Mr. Tell-true, what have you to say for our Lord the King against the prisoner at the bar?
TELL. My Lord, all that the first witness has said I know to be true, and a great deal more besides.
CLERK. Mr. Lustings, do you hear what these gentlemen say?
LUST. I was ever of opinion that the happiest life that a man could live on earth, was to keep himself back from nothing that he desired in the world; nor have I been false at any time to this opinion of mine, but have lived in the love of my notions all my days. Nor was I ever so churlish, having found such sweetness in them myself, as to keep the commendations of them from others.[232]
COURT. Then said the Court, There hath proceeded enough from his own mouth to lay him open to condemnation, wherefore set him by, jailer, and set Mr. Incredulity to the bar.
Incredulity set to the bar.
CLERK. Mr. Incredulity, Thou art here indicted by the name of Incredulity, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou hast feloniously and wickedly, and that when thou wert an officer in the town of Mansoul, made head against the captains of the great King Shaddai, when they came and demanded possession of Mansoul; yea, thou didst bid defiance to the name, forces, and cause of the King, and didst also, as did Diabolus thy captain, stir up and encourage the town of Mansoul to make head against, and resist the said force of the King. What sayest thou to this indictment? Art thou guilty of it, or not?
Then said Incredulity, I know not Shaddai, I love my old prince, I thought it my duty to be true to my trust, and to do what I could to possess the minds of the men of Mansoul, to do their utmost to resist strangers and foreigners, and with might to fight against them. Nor have I, nor shall I change mine opinion, for fear of trouble, though you at present are possessed of place and power.
COURT. Then said the Court, The man, as you see, is incorrigible, he is for maintaining his villainies by stoutness of words, and his rebellion with impudent confidence; and, therefore, set him by, jailer, and set Mr. Forget-good to the bar.
Forget-good set to the bar.
CLERK. Mr. Forget-good, thou art here indicted by the name of Forget-good, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou, when the whole affairs of the town of Mansoul were in thy hand, didst utterly forget to serve them in what was good, and didst fall in with the tyrant Diabolus against Shaddai the King, against his captains, and all his host, to the dishonour of Shaddai, the breach of his law, and the endangering of the destruction of the famous town of Mansoul. What sayest thou to this indictment? Art thou guilty, or not guilty?
Then said Forget-good, Gentlemen, and at this time my judges, as to the indictment by which I stand of several crimes accused before you, pray attribute my forgetfulness to mine age, and not to my wilfulness; to the craziness of my brain, and not to the carelessness of my mind, and then I hope I may be by your charity be excused from great punishment, though I be guilty.
Then said the Court, Forget-good, Forget-good, thy forgetfulness of good was not simply of frailty, but of purpose, and for that thou didst loathe to keep virtuous things in thy mind. What was bad thou couldst retain, but what was good thou couldst not abide to think of; thy age, therefore, and thy pretended craziness, thou makest use of to blind the court withal, and as a cloak to cover thy knavery. But let us hear what the witnesses have to say for the King against the prisoner at the bar—Is he guilty of this indictment, or not?
HATE. My Lord, I have heard this Forget-good say that he could never abide to think of goodness, no, not for a quarter of an hour.
CLERK. Where did you hear him say so?
HATE. In All-base Lane, at a house next door to the Sign of the Conscience-seared-with-an –hot-iron.
CLERK. Mr. Know-all, what can you say for our Lord the King against the prisoner at the bar?
KNOW. My Lord, I know this man well, he is a Diabolonian, the son of a Diabolonian, his father's name was Love-naught, and for him, I have often heard him say that he counted the very thoughts of goodness the most burthensome thing in the world.
CLERK. Where have you heard him say these words?
KNOW. In Flesh Lane, right opposite to the church.
Then said the Clerk, Come, Mr. Tell-true, give in your evidence concerning the prisoner at the bar about that for which he stands here, as you see, indicted before this honourable Court.
TELL. My Lord, I have heard him often say he had rather think of the vilest thing than of what is contained in the Holy Scriptures.
CLERK. Where did you hear him say such grievous words?
TELL. Where? in a great many places; particularly in Nauseous Street, in the house of one Shameless, and in Filth Lane, at the sign of the Reprobate, next door to the Descent-into-the-Pit.
COURT. Gentlemen, you have heard the indictment, his plea, and the testimony of the witnesses. Jailer, set Mr. Hard- heart to the bar.
He is set to the bar.
CLERK. Mr. Hard-heart, thou art here indicted by the name of Hard-heart, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou didst most desperately and wickedly possess the town of Mansoul with impenitency and obdurateness, and didst keep them from remorse and sorrow for their evils, all the time of their apostacy from, and rebellion against, the blessed King Shaddai. What sayest thou to this indictment? Art thou guilty, or not guilty?
HARD. My Lord, I never knew what remorse or sorrow meant in all my life; I am impenetrable. I care for no man; nor can I be pierced with men's griefs, their groans will not enter into my heart; whomever I mischief, whomever I wrong, to me it is music, when to others mourning.
COURT. You see the man is a right Diabolonian, and has convicted himself. Set him by, jailer, and set Mr. False- peace to the bar.
False-peace set to the bar.
Mr. False-peace, Thou art here indicted by the name of False-peace, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou didst most wickedly and satanically bring, hold, and keep the town of Mansoul, both in her apostacy, and in her hellish rebellion, in a false, groundless, and dangerous peace, and damnable security,[233] to the dishonour of the King, the transgression of his law, and the great damage of the town of Mansoul. What sayest thou? Art thou guilty of this indictment, or not?
Then said Mr. False-peace, Gentlemen, and you, now appointed to be my judges, I acknowledge that my name is Mr. Peace, but that my name is False-peace I utterly deny. If your honours will please to send for any that do intimately know me, or for the midwife that laid my mother of me, or for the gossips that were at my christening,[234] they will any, or all of them prove that my name is not False-peace, but Peace. Wherefore, I cannot plead to this indictment, forasmuch as my name is not inserted therein. And as is my true name, so also are my conditions. I was always a man that loved to live at quiet, and what I loved myself, that I thought others might love also. Wherefore, when I saw any of my neighbours to labour under a disquieted mind, I endeavoured to help them what I could, and instances of this good temper of mine many I could give; as,
1. When at the beginning our town of Mansoul did decline the ways of Shaddai; they, some of them, afterwards began to have disquieting reflections upon themselves for what they had done; but I, as one troubled to see them disquieted, presently sought out means to get them quiet again. 2. When the ways of the old world and of Sodom were in fashion, if anything happened to molest those that were for the customs of the present times, I laboured to make them quiet again, and to cause them to act without molestation. 3. To come nearer home, when the wars fell out between Shaddai and Diabolus, if at any time I saw any of the town of Mansoul afraid of destruction, I often used by some way, device, invention, or other, to labour to bring them to peace again.[235] Wherefore, since I have always been a man of so virtuous a temper, as some say a peace-maker is, and if a peace-maker be so deserving a man as some have been bold to attest he is, then let me, gentlemen, be accounted by you, who have a great name for justice and equity in Mansoul, for a man that deserveth not this inhuman way of treatment, but liberty, and also a license to seek damage of those that have been my accusers.
Then said the clerk, Crier, make a proclamation:
CRIER. 'O yes, forasmuch as the prisoner at the bar hath denied his name to be that which is mentioned in the indictment, the Court requireth that if there be any in this place that can give information to the Court of the original and right name of the prisoner, they would come forth and give in their evidence, for the prisoner stands upon his own innocency.'
Then came two into the court and desired that they might have leave to speak what they knew concerning the prisoner at the bar; the name of the one was Search-truth, and the name of the other Vouch-truth. So the Court demanded of these men if they knew the prisoner, and what they could say concerning him, for he stands, said they, upon his own vindication.
Then said Mr. Search-truth, My Lord, I -
COURT. Hold, give him his oath; then they sware him. So he proceeded.[236]
SEARCH. My Lord, I know, and have known this man from a child, and can attest that his name is False-peace. I know his father, his name was Mr. Flatter, and his mother, before she was married, was called by the name of Mrs. Sooth-up; and these two, when they came together, lived not long without this son, and when he was born they called his name False- peace. I was his play-fellow, only I was somewhat older than he; and when his mother did use to call him home from his play, she used to say, False-peace, False-peace, come home quick, or I'll fetch you. Yea, I knew him when he sucked; and though I was then but little, yet I can remember that when his mother did use to sit at the door with him, or did play with him in her arms, she would call him twenty times together, My little False-peace, my pretty False- peace, and, Oh my sweet rogue, False-peace; and again, Oh my little bird, False-peace; and how do I love my child! The gossips also know it is thus, though he has had the face to deny it in open court.
Then Mr. Vouch-truth was called upon to speak what he knew of him. So they sware him. Then said Mr. Vouch-truth, My Lord, all that the former witness hath said is true; his name is False-peace, the son of Mr. Flatter and of Mrs. Sooth-up, his mother. And I have in former times seen him angry with those who have called him anything else but False-peace, for he would say that all such did mock and nickname him, but this was in the time when Mr. False-peace was a great man, and when the Diabolonians were the brave men in Mansoul.
COURT. Gentlemen, you have heard what these two men have sworn against the prisoner at the bar. And now, Mr. False- peace, to you, you have denied your name to be False-peace, yet you see that these honest men have sworn that this is your name. As to your plea, in that you are quite besides the matter of your indictment, you are not by it charged for evil-doing, because you are a man of peace, or a peace-maker among your neighbours; but for that you did wickedly, and satanically, bring, keep, and hold the town of Mansoul both under its apostasy from, and in its rebellion against its King, in a false, lying, and damnable peace, contrary to the law of Shaddai, and to the hazard of the destruction of the then miserable town of Mansoul. All that you have pleaded for yourself is, that you have denied your name, &c., but here you see we have witnesses to prove that you are the man.
For the peace that you so much boast of making among your neighbours, know that peace that is not a companion of truth and holiness, but that which is without this foundation, is grounded upon a lie, and is both deceitful and damnable; as also the great Shaddai hath said; thy plea therefore has not delivered thee from what by the indictment thou art charged with, but rather it doth fasten all upon thee.
But thou shalt have very fair play, let us call the witnesses that are to testify as to matter of fact, and see what they have to say for our Lord the King against the prisoner at the bar.
CLERK. Mr. Know-all, what say you for our Lord the King against the prisoner at the bar?
KNOW. My Lord, this man hath of a long time made it, to my knowledge, his business to keep the town of Mansoul in a sinful quietness in the midst of all her lewdness, filthiness and turmoils, and hath said, and that in my hearing, Come, come, let us fly from all trouble, on what ground soever it comes, and let us be for a quiet and peaceable life, though it wanteth a good foundation.
CLERK. Come, Mr. Hate-lies, what have you to say?
HATE. My Lord, I have heard him say that peace, though in a way of unrighteousness, is better than trouble with truth.
CLERK. Where did you hear him say this?
HATE. I heard him say it in Folly-yard, at the house of one Mr. Simple, next door to the sign of the Self-deceiver. Yea, he hath said this to my knowledge twenty times in that place.
CLERK. We may spare further witness, this evidence is plain and full. Set him by, jailer, and set Mr. No-truth to the bar.
Mr. No-truth, thou art here indicted by the name of No- truth, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou hast always, to the dishonour of Shaddai, and the endangering of the utter ruin of the famous town of Mansoul, set thyself to deface and utterly to spoil all the remainders of the law and image of Shaddai that have been found in Mansoul, after her deep apostasy from her king to Diabolus, the envious tyrant. What sayest thou? Art thou guilty of this indictment, or not?
NO-TRUTH. Not guilty my Lord.
Then the witnesses were called, and Mr. Know-all did first give in his evidence against him.
KNOW. My Lord, this man was at the pulling down of the image of Shaddai; yea, this is he that did it with his own hands. I myself stood by and saw him do it, and he did it at the commandment of Diabolus. Yea, this Mr. No-truth did more than this, he did also set up the horned image of the beast Diabolus in the same place. This also is he that, at the bidding of Diabolus, did rend and tear and cause to be consumed all that he could of the remainders of the law of the King, even whatever he could lay his hands on, in Mansoul.
CLERK. Who saw him do this besides yourself?
HATE. I did, my Lord, and so did many more besides; for this was not done by stealth, or in a corner, but in the open view of all, yea, he chose himself to do it publicly, for he delighted in the doing of it.
CLERK. Mr. No-truth, how could you have the face to plead not guilty, when you were so manifestly the doer of all this wickedness?
NO-TRUTH. Sir, I thought I must say something, and as my name is, so I speak. I have been advantaged thereby before now, and did not know but by speaking no truth I might have reaped the same benefit now.
CLERK. Set him by, jailer, and set Mr. Pitiless to the bar. Mr. Pitiless, thou art here indicted by the name of Pitiless, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou didst most traitorously and wickedly shut up all bowels of compassion, and wouldest not suffer Mansoul to condole her own misery when she had apostatised from her rightful King, but didst evade, and at all times turn her mind awry from those thoughts that had in them a tendency to lead her to repentance. What sayest thou to this indictment? Guilty, or not guilty?
Not guilty of pitilessness; all I did was to cheer-up, according to my name, for my name is not Pitiless, but Cheer-up; and I could not abide to see Mansoul inclined to melancholy.
CLERK. How! do you deny your name, and say it is not Pitiless but Cheer-up? Call for the witnesses. What say you, the witnesses, to this plea?
KNOW. My Lord, his name is Pitiless; so he hath written himself in all papers of concern wherein he has had to do. But these Diabolonians love to counterfeit their names; Mr. Covetousness covers himself with the name of Good-husbandry, or the like; Mr. Pride can, when need is, call himself Mr. Neat, Mr. Handsome, or the like, and so of all the rest of them.[237]
CLERK. Mr. Tell-true, what say you?
TELL. His name is Pitiless, my Lord; I have known him from a child, and he hath done all that wickedness whereof he stands charged in the indictment; but there is a company of them that are not acquainted with the danger of damning, therefore they call all those melancholy that have serious thoughts [as to] how that state should be shunned by them.
CLERK. Set Mr. Haughty to the bar, jailer.
Mr. Haughty, Thou art here indicted by the name of Haughty, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou didst most traitorously and devilishly teach the town of Mansoul to carry it loftily and stoutly against the summons that was given them by the captains of the King Shaddai. Thou didst also teach the town of Mansoul to speak contemptuously and vilifyingly of their great King Shaddai; and didst moreover encourage, both by words and example, Mansoul to take up arms, both against the King and his son Emmanuel. How sayest thou? Art thou guilty of this indictment, or not?
HAUGHTY. Gentlemen, I have always been a man of courage and valour, and have not used when under the greatest clouds, to sneak or hang down the head like a bulrush; nor did it at all at any time please me to see men veil their bonnets[238] to those that have opposed them; yea, though their adversaries seemed to have ten times the advantage of them. I did not use to consider who was my foe, nor what the cause was in which I was engaged. It was enough to me if I carried it bravely, fought like a man, and came off a victor.
COURT. Mr. Haughty, you are not here indicted for that you have been a valiant man, nor for your courage and stoutness in times of distress, but for that you have made use of this your pretended valour to draw the town of Mansoul into acts of rebellion, both against the great King and Emmanuel his Son. This is the crime and the thing wherewith thou art charged in and by the indictment. But he made no answer to that.
Now when the Court had thus far proceeded against the prisoners at the bar, then they put them over to the verdict of their jury, to whom they did apply themselves after this manner:—
Gentlemen of the jury, you have been here, and have seen these men, you have heard their indictments, their pleas, and what the witnesses have testified against them; now what remains, is, that you do forthwith withdraw yourselves to some place, where without confusion you may consider of what verdict, in a way of truth and righteousness, you ought to bring in for the King against them, and so bring it in accordingly.
Then the jury, to wit, Mr. Belief, Mr. True-heart, Mr. Upright, Mr. Hate-bad, Mr. Love-God, Mr. See-truth, Mr. Heavenly-mind, Mr. Moderate, Mr. Thankful, Mr. Humble, Mr. Good-work, and Mr. Zeal-for-God, withdrew themselves in order to their work. Now when they were shut up by themselves they fell to discourse among themselves, in order to the drawing up of their verdict.
And thus Mr. Belief, for he was the foreman, began: Gentlemen, quoth he, for the men, the prisoners at the bar, for my part I believe that they all deserve death. Very right, said Mr. True-heart; I am wholly of your opinion. Oh what a mercy is it, said Mr. Hate-bad, that such villains as these are apprehended! Ay, Ay, said Mr. Love-God, this is one of the joyfullest days that ever I saw in my life. Then said Mr. See-truth, I know that if we judge them to death, our verdict shall stand before Shaddai himself. Nor do I at all question it, said Mr. Heavenly-mind; he said, moreover, When all such beasts as these are cast out of Mansoul, what a goodly town will it be then! Then said Mr. Moderate, It is not my manner to pass my judgment with rashness, but for these, their crimes are so notorious, and the witness so palpable, that that man must be willfully blind who saith the prisoners ought not to die. Blessed be God, said Mr. Thankful, that the traitors are in safe custody. And I join with you in this upon my bare knees, said Mr. Humble. I am glad also, said Mr. Good-work. Then said the warm man, and true-hearted Mr. Zeal-for-God, Cut them off, they have been the plague, and have sought the destruction of Mansoul.[239]
Thus therefore being all agreed in their verdict, they come instantly into the Court.
CLERK. Gentlemen of the jury answer all to your names; Mr. Belief, one; Mr. True-heart, two; Mr. Upright, three; Mr. Hate-bad, four; Mr. Love-God, five; Mr. See-truth, six; Mr. Heavenly-mind, seven; Mr. Moderate, eight; Mr. Thankful, nine; Mr. Humble, ten; Mr. Good-work, eleven; and Mr. Zeal- for-God, twelve; good men and true, stand together in your verdict; are you all agreed?
JURY. Yes, my Lord.
CLERK. Who shall speak for you?
JURY. Our Foreman.
CLERK. You the gentlemen of the jury, being empannelled for our Lord the King to serve here in a matter of life and death, have heard the trials of each of these men, the prisoners at the bar. What say you, are they guilty of that, and those crimes for which they stand here indicted, or are they not guilty?
FOREMAN. Guilty my Lord.
CLERK. Look to your prisoners, jailer.
This was done in the morning, and in the afternoon they received the sentence of death according to the law.
The jailer therefore having received such a charge, put them all in the inward prison, to preserve them there till the day of execution, which was to be the next day in the morning.
But now to see how it happened, one of the prisoners, Incredulity by name, in the interim betwixt the sentence and the time of execution, brake prison and made his escape, and gets him away quite out of the town of Mansoul, and lay lurking in such places and holes as he might, until he should again have opportunity to do the town of Mansoul a mischief for their thus handling of him as they did.[240]
Now when Mr. True-man the jailer perceived that he had lost his prisoner, he was in a heavy taking, because he, that prisoner was, to speak on, the very worst of all the gang; wherefore first, he goes and acquaints my Lord Mayor, Mr. Recorder, and my Lord Will-be-will with the matter, and to get of them an order to make search for him throughout the town of Mansoul. So an order he got, and search was made, but no such man could now be found in all the town of Mansoul.[241]
All that could be gathered was that he had lurked a while about the outside of the town, and that here and there one or other had a glimpse of him as he did make his escape out of Mansoul; one or two also did affirm that they saw him without the town, going a-pace quite over the plain.[242] Now when he was quite gone, it was affirmed by one Mr. Did- see, that he ranged all over dry places, till he met with Diabolus his friend; and where should they meet one another but just upon Hell-gate hill.
But oh! what a lamentable story did the old gentleman tell to Diabolus, concerning what sad alteration Emmanuel had made in Mansoul.[243]
As first, how Mansoul had, after some delays, received a general pardon at the hands of Emmanuel, and that they had invited him into the town, and that they had given him the castle for his possession. He said, moreover, that they had called his soldiers into the town, coveted who should quarter the most of them; they also entertained him with the timbrel, song, and dance. But that, said Incredulity, that is the sorest vexation to me is, that he hath pulled down, O father, thy image, and set up his own; pulled down thy officers and set up his own. Yea, and Will-be-will, that rebel, who, one would have thought, should never have turned from us, he is now in as great favour with Emmanuel as ever he was with thee. But besides all this, this Will-be-will has received a special commission from his master to search for, to apprehend, and to put to death all, and all manner of Diabolonians that he shall find in Mansoul; yea and this Will-be-will has taken and committed to prison already, eight of my Lord's most trusty friends in Mansoul. Nay further, my Lord, with grief I speak it, they have been all arraigned, condemned, and, I doubt before this, executed in Mansoul. I told my Lord of eight, and myself was the ninth, who should assuredly have drunk of the same cup, but that through craft, I, as thou seest, have made mine escape from them.
When Diabolus had heard this lamentable story he yelled, and snuffed up the wind like a dragon, and made the sky to look dark with his roaring; he also sware that he would try to be revenged on Mansoul for this. So they, both he and his old friend Incredulity, concluded to enter into great consultation how they might get the town of Mansoul again.
Now before this time, the day was come in which the prisoners in Mansoul were to be executed (Rom 8:13). So they were brought to the cross,[244] and that by Mansoul, in most solemn manner (Rom 6:12-14). For the Prince said that this should be done by the hand of the town of Mansoul, that I may see, said he, the forwardness of my now redeemed Mansoul to keep my word, and to do my commandments; and that I may bless Mansoul in doing this deed. Proof of sincerity pleases me well; let Mansoul, therefore, first lay their hands upon these Diabolonians to destroy them (Gal 5:24).
So the town of Mansoul slew them according to the word of their Prince; but when the prisoners were brought to the cross to die, you can hardly believe what troublesome work Mansoul had of it to put the Diabolonians to death; for the men knowing that they must die, and every of them having implacable enmity in their heart to Mansoul, what did they but took courage at the cross, and there resisted the men of the town of Mansoul? Wherefore the men of Mansoul were forced to cry out for help to the captains and men of war. Now the great Shaddai had a secretary in the town, and he was a great lover of the men of Mansoul, and he was at the place of execution also; so he hearing the men of Mansoul cry out against the strugglings and unruliness of the prisoners, rose up from his place, and came and put his hands upon the hands of the men of Mansoul.[245] So they crucified the Diabolonians that had been a plague, a grief, and an offence to the town of Mansoul (Rom 8:13).[246]
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[ Content ]Footnotes 229. What a work of labour and time is here set to Mansoul. The strongholds of Satan are to be pulled down, and all the materials of which they were constructed are to be clean removed out of the town. This can only be effected by the indwelling of Christ in the soul. He comes to destroy the works of the devil to pull down his strong-holds, and to purify the soul.—Ed. Back230. A jury of good men and true. What a contrast between them and Judge Lord Hategood, with the jury who tried Faithful—Blindman, Nogood, Malice, Lovelust, Liveloose, Heady, Highmind, Enmity, Liar, Cruelty, Hatelight, and Implacable.—Ed. Back
231. Christian, is it possible that thoughts so desperately wicked were ever injected by Satan into your heart? How thankful will you be to have them tried and destroyed; see Grace Abounding, No. 101.—Ed. Back
232. The sinner is not satisfied with his own destruction, but is ever leading others into the same awful state; sin is a spreading plague, the unconverted heart is a mystery of iniquity.—Ed. Back
233. See the woeful end of such, in Romans 2:5; Jeremiah 6:14.—Mason. Back
234. The gossips at a christening reminds me of a singular circumstance that took place at the christening of a friend's child about forty years ago. Our host rapped hard on the table, and said, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I hear some talking politics, and some religion; I beg you to recollect that we have nothing now to do with politics or religion, but are at a christening, so fill your glasses.'—Ed. Back
235. 'There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked' (Isa 57:21). Till convinced of sin, and Christ becomes the sinner's friend, there is no peace, no mercy, no hope, no heaven.—Mason. Alas! how many slumber into hell, under the misguiding influence of false peace.—Ed. Back
236. A similar circumstance, in the trial of Faithful, took place in the examination of the witness Envy, who commenced his testimony without being sworn, probably arising from what Bunyan had seen at the assizes.—Ed. Back
237. 'With names of virtue she deceives The aged and the young; And while the heedless wretch believes, She makes his fetters strong.' Back
238. Bonnets or caps were commonly worn by men. 'To vail the bonnet' was to take it off and bow, cap in hand—equivalent to taking off the hat and bowing at the present day. 'As for vailing bonnet before great rulers.'—Holland's Pliny, b. xxviii.—Ed. Back
239. There is in the renewed soul a sincere detestation of all sin. As the jury were unanimous in their verdict, so all read Christians will most cordially doom their lusts to death.
Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die,
My heart hath so decreed;
Nor will I spare the guilty things
That made my Saviour bleed.—Burder. Back240. The accuracy with which these criminal trials are narrated is surprising. The imprisonment, indictment, court, jury, witnesses, verdict, sentence—all is in the same order as if written by my Lord Chief Justice. What a contrast is here exhibited to the behaviour of the judge and jury in the trial of Faithful, in the 'Pilgrim's Progress'! that was brutal, as the then Judge Jeffries; this dignified and constitutional, as the present Judge Campbell. Thanks be unto God for so vast a reformation, clearly foreseen by Bunyan.—Ed. Back
241. What a blessed season! no unbelief to be found at that time in Mansoul. Christian, call to mind the time when Christ led you into his banqueting-house, and his banner over you was love; you could find no unbelief then. Alas! the troubler makes his appearance again quite soon enough.— Ed. Back
242. Unbelief, that giant sin, was apprehended and condemned—but, alas! he escapes. This incident is introduced by the author with great skill. He eludes justice, and flies to hell, to meditate new mischief. Ah! where is the believer who is at all times wholly free from the assaults of this arch-rebel? Where is the Christian who has not occasion to say, and that with tears, 'Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief?'—Burder. Back
243. The conversion of sinners, which is daily and hourly creating joy among the angels in heaven and saints on earth, adds to the torments of Diabolus and his host in hell, and of all his slaves in the world.—Ed. Back
244. The cross, in the market-place of most towns, was the place of public proclamations and executions. The slaying of our sins at the cross, denotes that they are to be publicly abandoned, so that the Christian becomes a living epistle, 'known and read of all men' (2 Cor 3:2).—Ed. Back
245. This probably alludes to Elisha putting his hands upon the king's hands, when shooting the arrow of deliverance (2 Kings 13:16). The conquest and crucifixion of sin can never be effected without Divine assistance. Prayer brings the aid of the Holy Spirit; and thus we are enabled to conquer our sinful thoughts and propensities.—Ed. Back
246. The greatest proof of our attachment to Christ is the destruction of our sins; not suffering them to reign in our bodies, but crucifying the flesh, with its affections and lusts. But, indeed, our sins struggle much, and die hard; and our own native strength is insufficient for their mortification. The Spirit, therefore, is introduced, as helping in this work; for, 'If ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.'—Burder. Back
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