Now, the ancients and elders of the town of Mansoul thought that they never should have enough of the Prince Emmanuel; his person, his actions, his words, and behaviour, were so pleasing, so taking, so desirable to them. Wherefore they prayed him, that though the castle of Mansoul was his place of residence, (and they desired that he might dwell there for ever,) yet that he would often visit the streets, houses, and people of Mansoul. "For," said they, "dread Sovereign, thy presence, thy looks, thy smiles, thy words, are the life, and strength, and sinews of the town of Mansoul."
Besides this, they craved that they might have, without difficulty or interruption, continual access unto him, (so for that very purpose he commanded that the gates should stand open,) that they might there see the manner of his doings, the fortifications of the place, and the royal mansion-house of the Prince.
When he spake, they all stopped their mouths and gave audience; and when he walked, it was their delight to imitate him in his goings.
Now, upon a time, Emmanuel made a feast for the town of Mansoul; and upon the feasting-day the townsfolk were come to the castle to partake of his banquet; and he feasted them with all manner of outlandish food;-food that grew not in the fields of Mansoul; nor in all the whole Kingdom of Universe; it was food that came from his Father"s court. And so there was dish after dish set before them, and they were commanded freely to eat. But still, when a fresh dish was set before them, they would whisperingly say to each other, "What is it?" for they wist not what to call it. They drank also of the water that was made wine, and were very merry with him. There was music also all the while at the table; and man did eat angels" food, and had honey given him out of the rock. So Mansoul did eat the food that was peculiar to the court; yea, they had now thereof to the full.
I must not forget to tell you, that as at this table there were musicians, so they were not those of the country, nor yet of the town of Mansoul; but they were the masters of the songs that were sung at the court of Shaddai.
Now, after the feast was over, Emmanuel was for entertaining the town of Mansoul with some curious riddles of secrets drawn up by his Father"s secretary, by the skill and wisdom of Shaddai; the like to these there is not in any kingdom. These riddles were made upon the King Shaddai himself, and upon Emmanuel his Son, and upon his wars and doings with Mansoul.
Emmanuel also expounded unto them some of those riddles himself; but, oh!
how they were lightened! They saw what they never saw; they could not have thought that such rarities could have been couched in so few and such ordinary words. I told you before, whom these riddles did concern; and as they were opened, the people did evidently see it was so. Yea, they did gather that the things themselves were a kind of a portraiture, and that of Emmanuel himself; for when they read in the scheme where the riddles were writ, and looked in the face of the Prince, things looked so like the one to the other, that Mansoul could not forbear but say, "This is the lamb! this is the sacrifice! this is the rock! this is the red cow! this is the door! and this is the way!" with a great many other things more.
And thus he dismissed the town of Mansoul. But can you imagine how the people of the corporation were taken with this entertainment! Oh! they were transported with joy, they were drowned with wonderment, while they saw and understood, and considered what their Emmanuel entertained them withal, and what mysteries he opened to them. And when they were at home in their houses, and in their most retired places, they could not but sing of him and of his actions. Yea, so taken were the townsmen now with their Prince, that they would sing of him in their sleep.
Now, it was in the heart of the Prince Emmanuel to new-model the town of Mansoul, and to put it into such a condition as might be most pleasing to him, and that might best stand with the profit and security of the now flourishing town of Mansoul. He provided also against insurrections at home, and invasions from abroad, such love had he for the famous town of Mansoul.
Wherefore he first of all commanded that the great slings that were brought from his Father"s court, when he came to the war of Mansoul, should be mounted, some upon the battlements of the castle, some upon the towers; for there were towers in the town of Mansoul, towers, new-built by Emmanuel since he came hither. There was also an instrument, invented by Emmanuel, that was to throw stones from the castle of Mansoul, out at Mouth-gate; an instrument that could not be resisted, nor that would miss of execution. Wherefore, for the wonderful exploits that it did when used, it went without a name; and it was committed to the care of, and to be managed by the brave captain, the Captain Credence, in case of war.
This done, Emmanuel called the Lord Willbewill to him, and gave him in commandment to take care of the gates, the wall, and towers in Mansoul; also the Prince gave him the militia into his hand, and a special charge to withstand all insurrections and tumults that might be made in Mansoul against the peace of our Lord the King, and the peace and tranquillity of the town of Mansoul. He also gave him in commission, that if he found any of the Diabolonians lurking in any corner of the famous town of Mansoul, he should forthwith apprehend them, and stay them, or commit them to safe custody, that they may be proceeded against according to law.
Then he called unto him the Lord Understanding, who was the old Lord Mayor, he that was put out of place when Diabolus took the town, and put him into his former office again, and it became his place for his lifetime. He bid him also that he should build him a palace near Eye-gate; and that he should build it in fashion like a tower for defence. He bid him also that he should read in the Revelation of Mysteries all the days of his life, that he might know how to perform his office aright.
He also made Mr. Knowledge the Recorder, not of contempt to old Mr.
Conscience, who had been Recorder before, but for that it was in his princely mind to confer upon Mr. Conscience another employ, of which he told the old gentleman he should know more hereafter.
Then he commanded that the image of Diabolus should be taken down from the place where it was set up, and that they should destroy it utterly, beating it into powder, and casting it into the wind without the town wall; and that the image of Shaddai, his Father, should be set up again, with his own, upon the castle gates; and that it should be more fairly drawn than ever, forasmuch as both his Father and himself were come to Mansoul in more grace and mercy than heretofore. He would also that his name should be fairly engraven upon the front of the town, and that it should be done in the best of gold, for the honour of the town 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. l.u.s.tings, 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 n.o.ble, the brave Lord Willbewill.
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 gaoler"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 strongholds 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.
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 gaoler.
Now, when the time was come, and the court set, commandment was sent to Mr. True-Man, the gaoler, 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-G.o.d, Mr. See-Truth, Mr. Heavenly-Mind, Mr. Moderate, Mr. Thankful, Mr. Good-Work, Mr. Zeal-for-G.o.d, and Mr. Humble.
The names of the witnesses were-Mr. Know-All, Mr. Tell-True, Mr.
Hate-Lies, with my Lord Willbewill 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, gaoler." 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 G.o.d, 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.
Then said the Clerk, "You, the witnesses for the King, look upon the prisoner at the bar; do you know him?"
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, etc., and is charged that he hath maintained and taught that there is no G.o.d, 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 G.o.d.
"But," said he, "I can profess one, and be as religious too, if the company I am in, and the circ.u.mstances 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d; 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 wh.o.r.e-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.
_Clerk_. Set him by, gaoler, and set Mr. l.u.s.tings to the bar. Mr.
l.u.s.tings, thou art here indicted by the name of l.u.s.tings, (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 l.u.s.tings. How sayest thou? Art thou guilty of this indictment, or not?
Then said Mr. l.u.s.tings, "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 almost 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?
_l.u.s.t_. Not guilty.