The Holy War by John Bunyan (best way to read an ebook txt) 📖

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. 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 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-God, Mr. See-Truth, Mr. Heavenly-Mind, Mr. Moderate, Mr. Thankful, Mr. Good-Work, Mr. Zeal-for-God, 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 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.

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 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.

Clerk. Set him by, gaoler, 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?

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 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?

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 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 wickedness? 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.

Then said the Court, ‘There hath proceeded enough from his