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. So they were brought to the cross, and that by Mansoul, in most solemn manner; 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.’
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 hearts 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. So they crucified the Diabolonians that had been a plague, a grief, and an offence to the town of Mansoul.
Now, when this good work was done, the Prince came down to see, to visit, and to speak comfortably to the men of Mansoul, and to strengthen their hands in such work. And he said to them that, by this act of theirs he had proved them, and found them to be lovers of his person, observers of his laws, and such as had also respect to his honour. He said, moreover, (to show them that they by this should not be losers, nor their town weakened by the loss of them,) that he would make them another captain, and that of one of themselves. And that this captain should be the ruler of a thousand, for the good and benefit of the now flourishing town of Mansoul.
So he called one to him whose name was Waiting, and bid him, ‘Go quickly up to the castle gate, and inquire there for one Mr. Experience, that waiteth upon that noble captain, the Captain Credence, and bid him come hither to me.’ So the messenger that waited upon the good Prince Emmanuel went and said as he was commanded. Now the young gentleman was waiting to see the captain train and muster his men in the castle yard. Then said Mr. Waiting to him, ‘Sir, the Prince would that you should come down to his highness forthwith.’ So he brought him down to Emmanuel, and he came and made obeisance before him. Now the men of the town knew Mr. Experience well, for he was born and bred in Mansoul; they also knew him to be a man of conduct, of valour, and a person prudent in matters; he was also a comely person, well-spoken, and very successful in his undertakings.
Wherefore the hearts of the townsmen were transported with joy when they saw that the Prince himself was so taken with Mr. Experience, that he would needs make him a captain over a band of men.
So with one consent they bowed the knee before Emmanuel, and with a shout said, ‘Let Emmanuel live for ever!’ Then said the Prince to the young gentleman, whose name was Mr. Experience, ‘I have thought good to confer upon thee a place of trust and honour in this my town of Mansoul.’ Then the young man bowed his head and worshipped. ‘It is,’ said Emmanuel, ‘that thou shouldest be a captain, a captain over a thousand men in my beloved town of Mansoul.’ Then said the captain, ‘Let the King live!’ So the Prince gave out orders forthwith to the King’s secretary, that he should draw up for Mr. Experience a commission to make him a captain over a thousand men. ‘And let it be brought to me,’ said he, ‘that I may set to my seal.’ So it was done as it was commanded. The commission was drawn up, brought to Emmanuel, and he set his seal thereto. Then, by the hand of Mr. Waiting, he sent it away to the captain.
Now as soon as the captain had received his commission, he sounded his trumpet for volunteers, and young men came to him apace; yea, the greatest and chief men in the town sent their sons, to be listed under his command. Thus Captain Experience came under command to Emmanuel, for the good of the town of Mansoul. He had for his lieutenant one Mr. Skilful, and for his cornet one Mr. Memory. His under officers I need not name. His colours were the white colours for the town of Mansoul; and his scutcheon was the dead lion and dead bear. So the Prince returned to his royal palace again.
Now when he was returned thither, the elders of the town of Mansoul, to wit, the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, and the Lord Willbewill, went to congratulate him, and in special way to thank him for his love, care, and the tender compassion which he showed to his ever-obliged town of Mansoul. So after a while, and some sweet communion between them, the townsmen having solemnly ended their ceremony, returned to their place again.
Emmanuel also at this time appointed them a day wherein he would renew their charter, yea, wherein he would renew and enlarge it, mending several faults therein, that Mansoul’s yoke might be yet more easy. And this he did without any desire of theirs, even of his own frankness and noble mind. So when he had sent for and seen their old one, he laid it by, and said, ‘Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.’ He said, moreover, ‘The town of Mansoul shall have another, a better, a new one, more steady and firm by far.’ An epitome hereof take as follows:—