the reason that you prevailed not all this while.’  Then they said they would draw up one, and get the Lord Secretary’s hand unto it.  But Mr. Godly-Fear answered again, that he knew also that the Lord Secretary would not set his hand to any petition that himself had not an hand in composing and drawing up.  ‘And besides,’ said he, ’the Prince doth know my Lord Secretary’s hand from all the hands in the world; wherefore he cannot be deceived by any pretence whatever.  Wherefore my advice is that you go to my Lord, and implore him to lend you his aid.’  (Now he did yet abide in the castle, where all the captains and men-at-arms were.)

So they heartily thanked Mr. Godly-Fear, took his counsel, and did as he had bidden them.  So they went and came to my Lord, and made known the cause of their coming to him; namely, that since Mansoul was in so deplorable a condition, his Highness would be pleased to undertake to draw up a petition for them to Emmanuel, the Son of the mighty Shaddai, and to their King and his Father by him.

Then said the Secretary to them, ’What petition is it that you would have me draw up for you?’ But they said, ’Our Lord knows best the state and condition of the town of Mansoul; and how we are backslidden and degenerated from the Prince:  thou also knowest who is come up to war against us, and how Mansoul is now the seat of war.  My Lord knows, moreover, what barbarous usages our men, women, and children have suffered at their hands; and how our homebred Diabolonians do walk now with more boldness than dare the townsmen in the streets of Mansoul.  Let our Lord therefore, according to the wisdom of God that is in him, draw up a petition for his poor servants to our Prince Emmanuel.’  ‘Well,’ said the Lord Secretary, ’I will draw up a petition for you, and will also set my hand thereto.’  Then said they, ’But when shall we call for it at the hands of our Lord?’ But he answered, ’Yourselves must be present at the doing of it; yea, you must put your desires to it.  True, the hand and pen shall be mine, but the ink and paper must be yours; else how can you say it is your petition?  Nor have I need to petition for myself, because I have not offended.’  He also added as followeth:  ’No petition goes from me in my name to the Prince, and so to his Father by him, but when the people that are chiefly concerned therein do join in heart and soul in the matter, for that must be inserted therein.’

So they did heartily agree with the sentence of the Lord, and a petition was forthwith drawn up for them.  But now, who should carry it? that was next.  But the Secretary advised that Captain Credence should carry it; for he was a well-spoken man.  They therefore called for him, and propounded to him the business.  ‘Well,’ said the captain, ’I gladly accept of the motion; and though I am lame, I will do this business for you with as much speed, and as well as I can.’

The contents of the petition were to this purpose