Then said Mr. Search-Truth, ‘My Lord, I—’
Court. Hold! give him his oath.
Then they sware him. So he proceeded.
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 that 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 that 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, etc.; 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?