‘The reason of this my summons,’ quoth he, ’is, for that my lord is your undoubted prince and lord, as you yourselves have formerly owned.  Nor shall that assault that was given to my lord, when Emmanuel dealt so dishonourably by him, prevail with him to lose his right, and to forbear to attempt to recover his own.  Consider, then, O Mansoul, with thyself, wilt thou show thyself peaceable, or no?  If thou shalt quietly yield up thyself, then our old friendship shall be renewed; but if thou shalt yet refuse and rebel, then expect nothing but fire and sword.’

When the languishing town of Mansoul had heard this summoner and his summons, they were yet more put to their dumps, but made to the captain no answer at all; so away he went as he came.

But, after some consultation among themselves, as also with some of their captains, they applied themselves afresh to the Lord Secretary for counsel and advice from him; for this Lord Secretary was their chief preacher, (as also is mentioned some pages before,) only now he was ill at ease; and of him they begged favour in these two or three things —

1.  That he would look comfortably upon them, and not keep himself so much retired from them as formerly.  Also, that he would be prevailed with to give them a hearing, while they should make known their miserable condition to him.  But to this he told them as before, that ’as yet he was but ill at ease, and therefore could not do as he had formerly done.’

2.  The second thing that they desired was, that he would be pleased to give them his advice about their now so important affairs, for that Diabolus was come and set down before the town with no less than twenty thousand doubters.  They said, moreover, that both he and his captains were cruel men, and that they were afraid of them.  But to this he said, ’You must look to the law of the Prince, and there see what is laid upon you to do.’

3.  Then they desired that his highness would help them to frame a petition to Shaddai, and unto Emmanuel his Son, and that he would set his own hand thereto as a token that he was one with them in it:  ‘For,’ said they, ’my Lord, many a one have we sent, but can get no answer of peace; but now, surely, one with thy hand unto it may obtain good for Mansoul.’

But all the answer that he gave to this was, ’that they had offended their Emmanuel, and had also grieved himself, and that therefore they must as yet partake of their own devices.’

This answer of the Lord Secretary fell like a millstone upon them; yea, it crushed them so that they could not tell what to do; yet they durst not comply with the demands of Diabolus, nor with the demands of his captain.  So then here were the straits that the town of Mansoul was betwixt, when the enemy came upon her:  her foes were ready to swallow her up, and her friends did forbear to help her.