The Works of John Bunyan, vol 3 by John Bunyan (summer books .TXT) 📕

made many brave attempts to break open, or beat down, the tower that was over Ear-gate, and at the said gate to make their entrance. But Mansoul stood it out so lustily, through the rage of Diabolus, the valour of the Lord Will-be-will, and the conduct of old Incredulity, the Mayor, and Mr. Forget-good, the Recorder, that the charge and expense of that summer’s wars, on the King’s side, seemed to be almost quite lost, and the advantage to return to Mansoul. But when the captains saw how it was, they made a fair retreat, and entrenched themselves in their winter quarters. Now in this war, you must needs think there was much loss on both sides, of which be pleased to accept of this brief account following:—[112]

The King’s captains, when they marched from the court to come up against Mansoul to war, as they came crossing over the country, they happened to light upon three young fellows that had a mind to go for soldiers; proper men they were, and men of courage and skill, to appearance. Their names were Mr. Tradition, Mr. Human-wisdom, and Mr. Man’s-invention. So they came up to the captains, and proffered their services to Shaddai. The captains then told them of their design, and bid them not to be rash in their offers; but the young men told them they had considered the thing before, and that hearing they were upon their march for such a design, came hither on purpose to meet them, that they might be listed under their excellencies. Then Captain Boanerges, for that they were men of courage, listed them into his company, and so away they went to the war.

Now when the war was begun, in one of the briskest skirmishes, so it was, that a company of the Lord Will-be-will’s men sallied out at the sally-port, or postern of the town, and fell in upon the rear of Captain Boanerges’ men, where these three fellows happened to be, so they took them prisoners, and away they carried them into the town; where they had not lain long in durance, but it began to be noised about the streets of the town what three notable prisoners the Lord Will-be-will’s men had taken, and brought in prisoners out of the camp of Shaddai. At length tidings thereof were carried to Diabolus to the castle, to wit, what my Lord Will-be-will’s men had done, and whom they had taken prisoners.

Then Diabolus called for Will-be-will, to know the certainty of this matter. So he asked him, and he told him; then did the giant send for the prisoners, who, when they were come, demanded of them who they were, whence they came, and what they did in the camp of Shaddai; and they told him. Then he sent them to ward again. Not many days after, he sent for them to him again, and then asked them if they would be willing to serve him against their former captains. They then told him that they did not so much live by religion, as by the fates of fortune; and that since his lordship was willing to entertain them, they should be willing to serve him. Now while things were thus in hand, there was one Captain Anything, a great doer in the town of Mansoul, and to this Captain Anything did Diabolus send these men, with a note under his hand to receive them into his company; the contents of which letter were thus:—

‘Anything, my darling, the three men that are the bearers of this letter have a desire to serve me in the war, nor know I better to whose conduct to commit them than to thine; receive them, therefore, in my name, as need shall require, make use of them against Shaddai and his men. Farewell.’ So they came, and he received them; and he made of two of them serjeants, but he made Mr. Man’s-invention his armour-bearer. But thus much for this, and now to return to the camp.[113]

They of the camp did also some execution upon the town, for they did beat down the roof of the Lord Mayor’s house, and so laid him more open than he was before. They had almost, with a sling, slain my Lord Will-be-will outright; but he made a shift to recover again. But they made a notable slaughter among the aldermen, for with one only shot they cut off six of them; to wit, Mr. Swearing, Mr. Whoring, Mr. Fury, Mr. Stand-to-lies, Mr. Drunkenness, and Mr.

Cheating.[114]

They also dismounted the two guns that stood upon the tower over Ear-gate, and laid them flat in the dirt.[115] I told you before, that the King’s noble captains had drawn off to their winter quarters, and had there entrenched themselves and their carriages, so as with the best advantage to their King, and the greatest annoyance to the enemy, they might give seasonable and warm alarms to the town of Mansoul. And this design of them did so hit, that, I may say, they did almost what they would to the molestation of the corporation.

For now could not Mansoul sleep securely as before, nor could they now go to their debaucheries with that quietness as in times past. For they had from the camp of Shaddai such frequent, warm, and terrifying alarms; yea, alarms upon alarms, first at one gate, and then at another, and again at all the gates at once, that they were broken as to former peace. Yea, they had their alarms so frequently, and that when the nights116 were at longest, the weather coldest, and so consequently the season most unseasonable; that that winter was to the town of Mansoul a winter by itself.

Sometimes the trumpets would sound, and sometimes the slings would whirl the stones into the town. Sometimes ten thousand of the King’s soldiers would be running round the walls of Mansoul at midnight, shouting, and lifting up the voice for the battle.

Sometimes, again, some of them in the town would be wounded, and their cry and lamentable voice would be heard, to the great molestation of the now languishing town of Mansoul. Yea, so distressed with those that laid siege against them were they, that, I dare say, Diabolus their king had, in these days, his rest much broken.

In these days, as I was informed, new thoughts, and thoughts that began to run counter one to another, began to possess the minds of the men of the town of Mansoul. Some would say, ‘There is no living thus’; others would then reply, ‘This will be over shortly.’

Then would a third stand up and answer, ‘Let us turn to the King Shaddai, and so put an end to these troubles.’ And a fourth would come in with a fear, saying, ‘I doubt he will not receive us.’[117]

The old gentleman too, the Recorder, that was so before Diabolus took Mansoul, he also began to talk aloud; and his words were now to the town of Mansoul as if they were great claps of thunder. No noise now so terrible to Mansoul as was his, with the noise of the soldiers, and shoutings of the captains.

Also, things began to grow scarce in Mansoul; now the things that her soul lusted after were departing from her. Upon all her pleasant things there was a blast, and burning instead of beauty. Wrinkles now, and some shows of the shadow of death, were upon the inhabitants of Mansoul.[118] And now, O how glad would Mansoul have been to have enjoyed quietness and satisfaction of mind, though joined with the meanest condition in the world![119]

The captains also, in the deep of this winter, did send, by the mouth of Boanerges’ trumpeter, a summons to Mansoul to yield up herself to the King, the great King Shaddai. They said it once, and twice, and thrice; not knowing but that at some times there might be in Mansoul some willingness to surrender up themselves unto them, might they but have the colour of an invitation to do it under.

Yea, so far as I could gather, the town had been surrendered up to them before now, had it not been for the opposition of old Incredulity, and the fickleness of the thoughts of my Lord Will-be-will. Diabolus also began to rave, wherefore Mansoul, as to yielding, was not yet all of one mind, therefore, they still lay distressed under these perplexing fears.[120]

I told you but now that they of the King’s army had this winter sent three times to Mansoul, to submit herself.

First. The first time the trumpeter went, he went with words of peace, telling of them, ‘That the captains, the noble captains of Shaddai, did pity and bewail the misery of the now perishing town of Mansoul; and were troubled to see them so much to stand in the way of their own deliverance.’ He said, moreover, ‘That the captains bid him tell them, that if now poor Mansoul would humble herself, and turn, her former rebellions and most notorious treasons should, by their merciful King, be forgiven them, yea, and forgotten too.’

And having bid them ‘beware that they stood not in their own way, that they opposed not themselves, nor made themselves their own losers,’ he returned again into the camp.

Second. The second time the trumpeter went, he did treat them a little more roughly. For after sound of trumpet, he told them, ‘That their continuing in their rebellion did but chafe and heat the spirit of the captains, and that they were resolved to make a conquest of Mansoul, or to lay their bones before the town walls.’

Third. He went again the third time, and dealt with them yet more roughly; telling of them, ‘That now, since they had been so horribly profane, he did not know—not certainly know—whether the captains were inclining to mercy or judgment; only,’ said he, ‘they commanded me to give you a summons to open the gates unto them.’

So he returned, and went into the camp.

These three summons, and especially the two last, did so distress the town, that they presently called a consultation; the result of which was this, that my Lord Will-be-will should go up to Ear-gate, and there, with sound of trumpet, call to the captains of the camp for a parley. Well, the Lord Will-be-will sounded upon the wall, so the captains came up in their harness,[121] with their ten thousands at their feet. The townsmen then told the captains that they had heard and considered their summons, and would come to an agreement with them, and with their King Shaddai, upon such certain terms, articles, and propositions as, with and by the order of their prince, they to them were appointed to propound—to wit, they would agree upon these grounds to be one people with them.

1. ‘If that those of their own company, as the now Lord Mayor and their Mr. Forget-good, with their brave Lord Will-be-will, might, under Shaddai, be still the governors of the town, castle, and gates of Mansoul. 2. Provided that no man that now serveth under their great giant Diabolus, be by Shaddai cast out of house, harbour, or the freedom that he hath hitherto enjoyed in the famous town of Mansoul. 3. That it shall be granted them, that they of the town of Mansoul shall enjoy certain of their rights and privileges—to wit, such as have formerly been granted them; and that they have long lived in the enjoyment of, under the reign of their king Diabolus, that now is, and long has been, their only Lord, and great defender. 4. That no new law, officer, or executioner of law or office, shall have any power over them, without their own choice and consent.

‘These be our propositions or conditions of peace; and upon these terms,’ said they, ‘we will submit