CHAP. X. The strong Holds of Diabolus destroyed....Incredulity, Lustings, Forget-good, and other Diabolonians apprehended, brought to Trial, convicted, and executed, to the great Joy of Mansoul. AFTER this was done, manut out a commandment, which was, that those three greatest Diabolonians should be apprehended, namely, the two late lord-mayors, to wit, Mr. Incredulity and Mr. Lustings, and Mr. Forget-good the recorder. Besides these, there were some of Some Diabolo them that Diabolus made burgesses nians committed and aldermen in Mansoul, that were to prison under committed to ward by the hand of the the hand of Mr. Trueman the now valiant and now right noble, keeper. the brave Lord Will-be-will. And these were their names: Alderman Atheism, Alderman Hard-heart, and Alderman Falsepeace. 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. 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 strong holds After this, the prince gave a charge that the three strong holds, which at the command of Diabolus the Diabolonians pulled down. 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 the rubbish, were to be carried without the town 1. When this was done, the prince gave order that the lord-mayor and aldermen of ManA court to be called to try the soul should call a court of judicature Diabolonians. for the trial and execution of the Diabolonians in the corporation, now under the care of Mr. Trueman the gaoler. bar. Now when the time was come, and the court The prisoners set, commandment was sent to Mr. brought to the Trueman 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 hoThe jury emnourable bench; first, the jury was panneled, and empanneled, and then the witnesses witnesses sworn. 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. Good-work, Mr. Zeal-for-God, and Mr. Humble. The names of the witnesses were, Mr. Know-all, Mr. Tell-true, Mr. Hate-lyes, with my Lord Will-be-will, and his man, if need were 2. So the prisoners were set to the bar. Then said Mr. Do-right (for he was the town-clerk) Set Atheism to the bar, Do-right the clerk. 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. 2 A very good jury indeed!" honest men and true," who will give a faithful verdict for God against sin. the bar. Atheism set to gaoler. gaoler. So he was set to the bar. Then said the clerk, Atheism, hold His indictment. 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 doubtishly 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 guily of this indictment, or not? Atheism. Not guilty. Cryer. Call Mr. Know-all, Mr. Tell-true, and Mr. Hate-lyes 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 Mr. Know-all's heretofore too often been in his evidence against 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. 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 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 Mr. Tell-true you to the king's judges touching the prisoner at the bar? called. Tell-true. 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 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 an horrible man to deny a Deity; his father's name was Never-begood, and he had more children than this AtheI have no more to say. ism. Clerk. Mr. Hate-lyes, look upon the prisoner at the bar do you know him? The evidence Hate-lyes. My lord, this Atheism is one of the vilest wretches that ever I came near, of Mr. Hateor had to do with in my life: I have lyes. 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 hear a sermon. |