CHAPTER X. The strong holds of Diabolus destroyed. Incredulity, Lustings, Forgetgood, and other Diabolonians apprehended, brought to trial, convicted, and executed, to the great joy of Mansoul. Some Diabolonians AFTER this was done, Immanuel gave out a command ment, which was, that those three greatest Diabolonians should be apprehended, namely, the two late lord-mayors, to wit, Mr. Incredulity and Mr. committed to prison Lustings, and Mr. Forget-good the recor- under the hand of der. Besides these, there were some of Mr. Trueman the keeper. 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 Will-be-will. 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 jailer's name was Mr. Trueman: this Trueman was one of those that Immanuel brought with him from his Father's court, when at first he made a war upon Diabolus in the town of Mansoul. Diabolus's After this, the prince gave a charge that the three strong holds which at the command of Diabolus the Diabolonians built in Mansoul, should be de- strong holds pulmolished and utterly pulled down; of which led down. 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 the rubbish, were to be carried without the town.* When this was done, the prince gave orders that the lord-mayor and aldermen of Mansoul should A court to be callcall a court of judicature for the trial and ed to try the Diaexecution of the Diabolonians in the corpo- bolonians. ration, now under the care of Mr. Trueman the jailer. Now when the time was come, and the court set, commandment was sent to Mr. Trueman the jailer, The prisono bring the prisoners, down to the bar. Then oners brought were the prisoners brought down, pinioned and to the bar. When grace begins to reign, we must mortify the flesh, with its affections and lusts. Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, and to pull down his strong holds. But, truly, this is a work of time and immense labour. ses sworn. 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 The jury empan- jury was empannelled, and then the witnelled, and witnes- nesses sworn. The names of the jury were these: Mr. Belief, Mr. Trueheart, Mr. Upright, Mr. Hate-bad, Mr. Love-good, Mr. See-truth, Mr. Heavenly-Mind, Mr. Moderate, Mr. Thankful, Mr. Goodwork, Mr. Zeal-for-God, and Mr. Humble. The names of the witnesses were, Mr. Know-all, Mr. Tell-true, Mr. Hatelies, with my Lord Will-be-will, and his man, if need were.* to the bar. ment. So the prisoners were set to the bar. Then said Mr. DoDo-right the right, (for he was the town-clerk) Set Atheism clerk. to the bar, jailer. So he was set to the bar. Then Atheism set said the clerk, Atheism hold up thy hand. Thou art here indicted by the name of Atheism His indict- (an intruder upon the town of Mansoul) for that thou hast perniciously and doutishly 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. Hatelies, into the court. So they were called, and they appeared: Clerk. Then said the clerk, You, the witnesses for the king, look upon the prisoner at the bar; do you know him? Know-all. 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-all. Know him! Yes, my lord. I have heretofore Mr. Know-all's too often been in his company to be at this evidence against time ignorant of him. He is a Diabolonian, the son of a Diabolonian; I knew his grandfather and his father. Atheism. Clerk. Well said: he standeth here indicted by the name of Atheism, &c. and is charged, that he hath maintained, and taught that there is no God, and so no heed to be taken to any religion. What say you, the king's witnesses, to this? is he guilty, or not? Know-all. My lord, I and he were once in Villains'-lane A very good jury indeed!" honest men and true," who will give a faithful verdict for God against gin. together, and he at that time talked briskly of divers opinions; and then and there I heard him say, that for his part he believed there was no God: but said he, I can profess one, and be religious too, if the company I am in, and the circumstances of other things shall put me upon it. Clerk. You are sure you have heard him say thus? Know-all. 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 prison- called. er at the bar? Mr. Tell-true Tell-true. My lord, I formerly was a great companion of his (for which I now repent me) and I have often heard him say, and that with very great stomach fulness, that he believed there was neither God, angel, or spirit. Clerk. Where did you hear him say so? Tell-true. In Black-mouth-lane, and in Blasphemers'row, and in many other places besides. Clerk. Have you much knowledge of him? Tell-true. 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-lies. My lord, this Atheism is one of the vilest wretches that ever I came near, or had to do The evidence with in my life: I have heard him say that of Mr. Hate-lies. there is no God, I have heard him say 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 whorehouse as to hear a sermon. Clerk. Where did you hear him say these things? Hate-lies. In Drunkard's-row, just at Rascal's-lane-end, at the house in which Mr. Impiety lived. Clerk. Set him by, jailer,* and set Mr. Lust- Lustings set ings to the bar. to the bar. Mr. Lustings, thou art here indicted by the name of Lustings (an intruder upon the town of Man- His indictment. soul) for that thou hast devlishly 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 ever 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? *Atheism is fairly tried and justly condemned. cal atheism is there among professed Christians! Alas! how much practi prayer, and in opposition to his will, they live without God in the world," and what is this but atheism? Lustings. Then said Mr. Lustings, My lord, I am a man His plea. of high birth, and have been used to pleasures, and pastimes, and 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 what 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, about an indictment preferred against you. How say you? are you guilty of it, or not? Lustings. Not guilty. Clerk. Crier, call upon the witnesses to stand forth and give their evidence. Witnesses called against Lustings. at the bar. Crier. Gentlemen, you the witnesses for the king, come and give in your evidence for our Lord the king against the prisoner Clerk. Come Mr. Know-all, look upon the prisoner at the bar. Do you know him? Know-all. Yes, my Lord I know him. Clerk. What is his name? Know-all. His name is Lustings: he is the son of one Beastly; his mother bare him in Flesh-street: she was one Evil-concupiscence's daughter. I know 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 him or not? Know-all. My lord, he has, as he saith, been a great man indeed: and greater in wickedness than by pedigree, more than a thousand fold. Clerk. But what do you know of his particular actions, and especially with reference to his indictment? Know-all. I know him to be a swearer, a liar, a sabbathbreaker; I know him to be a fornicator, and an His guilt unclean proved. 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 corner, or more openly and shamelessly? Know-all. 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-true. 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? Lustings. I was ever of opinion, that the happiest life that a man could live on earth, was, to keep himself from nothing that he desired in the world; nor have Lustings sets I been false at any time to this opinion of up his defence. 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 commendation of them from others. Court. Then said the court, There hath proceeded enough from his own mouth to lay him open to condemnation; wherefore set him by,* jailer, and set Incredulity set Mr.Incredulity to the bar. to the bar. Clerk. Mr. Incredulity, thou art here indicted by the name of Incredulity (an intruder upon the town of Mansoul,) for that thou hast feloniously and wick edly, and that when thou wert an officer in the His indictment, town of Mansoul, made head against the captains of the great Shaddai, when they came and demanded possession of Mansoul; yea, thou didst bid defiance to the name, forces, and cause of the king: and didst also, as did Diabolus thy captain, stir up and encourage the town of Mansoul to make head against and resist the said force of the king. What sayest thou to this indictment? art thou guilty or not? Then said Incredulity, I know not Shaddai I loved my old prince; I thought it my duty to be true to His plea. my trust, and to do what I could to possess the minds of the men of Mansoul to do their utmost to resist strangers and foreigners, and with might to fight against them. Nor have I, nor shall I, change my opinion for fear of trouble, though you at present are possessed of place and power. Court. Then said the court; The man, as you see, is incorrigible; he is for maintaining his villanies by stoutness of words, and his rebellion with impudent Forget-good confidence. And therefore set him by, jailer:† set to the bar. and set Mr. Forget-good to the bar. Clerk. Mr. Forget-good, thou art here indicted by the name of Forget-good (an intruder upon the town of Mansoul,) for that thou, when the His indictment, *Lustings, or the sinful lusts of the flesh, is well described; he is the son of one Beastly, his mother a daughter of Evil-concupiscence, a swearer, a liar, a fornicator, &c. &c. He is a true Diabolonian; and as all God's people are to walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the the spirit, he must die. Unbelief is the great instigator of rebellion against God; out of his own mouth he is condemned as absolutely incorrigible. |