Now upon Mount Diabolus, which was raised on the north side of the town, there did the tyrant set up his standard, and a fearful thing it was to behold; for he had wrought in it by devilish art, after the manner of a scutcheon, a flaming flame fearful to behold, and the picture of Mansoul burning in it.

When Diabolus had thus done, he commanded that his drummer should every night approach the walls of the town of Mansoul, and so to beat a parley; the command was to do it at nights, for in the daytime they annoyed him with their slings; for the tyrant said, that he had a mind to parley with the now trembling town of Mansoul, and he commanded that the drums should beat every night, that through weariness they might at last, if possible, (at the first they were unwilling yet,) be forced to do it.

So this drummer did as commanded:  he arose, and did beat his drum.  But when his drum did go, if one looked toward the town of Mansoul, ’Behold darkness and sorrow, and the light was darkened in the heaven thereof.’  No noise was ever heard upon earth more terrible, except the voice of Shaddai when he speaketh.  But how did Mansoul tremble! it now looked for nothing but forthwith to be swallowed up.

When this drummer had beaten for a parley, he made this speech to Mansoul:  ’My master has bid me tell you, that if you will willingly submit, you shall have the good of the earth; but if you shall be stubborn, he is resolved to take you by force.’  But by that the fugitive had done beating his drum, the people of Mansoul had betaken themselves to the captains that were in the castle, so that there was none to regard, nor to give this drummer an answer; so he proceeded no further that night, but returned again to his master to the camp.

When Diabolus saw that by drumming he could not work out Mansoul to his will, the next night he sendeth his drummer without his drum, still to let the townsmen know that he had a mind to parley with them.  But when all came to all, his parley was turned into a summons to the town to deliver up themselves:  but they gave him neither heed nor hearing:  for they remembered what at first it cost them to hear him a few words.

The next night he sends again, and then who should be his messenger to Mansoul but the terrible Captain Sepulchre; so Captain Sepulchre came up to the walls of Mansoul, and made this oration to the town:-

’O ye inhabitants of the rebellious town of Mansoul!  I summon you in the name of the Prince Diabolus, that, without any more ado, you set open the gates of your town, and admit the great lord to come in.  But if you shall still rebel, when we have taken to us the town by force, we will swallow you up as the grave; wherefore if you will hearken to my summons, say so, and if not then let me know.