The townsmen also took great encouragement at this act of Mr. Mind, and did what they could to have taken some more of these Diabolonian troublers of Mansoul; but at that time the rest lay so squat and close, that they could not be apprehended; so they set against them a diligent watch, and went every man to his place.

I told you a little before, that Diabolus and his army were somewhat abashed and discouraged at the sight of what my Lord Willbewill did, when he hanged up those two young Diabolonians; but his discouragement quickly turned itself into furious madness and rage against the town of Mansoul, and fight it he would.  Also the townsmen and captains within, they had their hopes and their expectations heightened, believing at last the day would be theirs; so they feared them the less.  Their subordinate preacher, too, made a sermon about it; and he took that theme for his text, ’Gad, a troop shall overcome him:  but he shall overcome at the last.’  Whence he showed, that though Mansoul should be sorely put to it at the first, yet the victory should most certainly be Mansoul’s at the last.

So Diabolus commanded that his drummer should beat a charge against the town; and the captains also that were in the town sounded a charge against them, but they had no drum:  they were trumpets of silver with which they sounded against them.  Then they which were of the camp of Diabolus came down to the town to take it, and the captains in the castle, with the slingers at Mouth-gate, played upon them amain.  And now there was nothing heard in the camp of Diabolus but horrible rage and blasphemy; but in the town good words, prayer, and singing of psalms.  The enemy replied with horrible objections, and the terribleness of their drum; but the town made answer with the slapping of their slings, and the melodious noise of their trumpets.  And thus the fight lasted for several days together, only now and then they had some small intermission, in the which the townsmen refreshed themselves, and the captains made ready for another assault.

The captains of Emmanuel were clad in silver armour, and the soldiers in that which was of proof; the soldiers of Diabolus were clad in iron which was made to give place to Emmanuel’s engine-shot.  In the town, some were hurt, and some were greatly wounded.  Now, the worst of it was, a chirurgeon was scarce in Mansoul, for that Emmanuel at present was absent.  Howbeit, with the leaves of a tree the wounded were kept from dying; yet their wounds did greatly putrefy, and some did grievously stink.  Of the townsmen, these were wounded, namely, my Lord Reason; he was wounded in the head.  Another that was wounded was the brave Lord Mayor; he was wounded in the eye.  Another that was wounded was Mr. Mind; he received his wound about the stomach.  The honest subordinate preacher also, he received a shot not far off the heart but none of these were mortal.

Many also of the inferior sort were not only wounded but slain outright.