Then said Diabolus, ’O ye stout Diabolonians, be it known unto you, that there is treachery hatched against us in the rebellious town of Mansoul; for albeit the town is in our possession, as you see, yet these miserable Mansoulians have attempted to dare, and have been so hardy as yet to send to the court to Emmanuel for help.  This I give you to understand, that ye may yet know how to carry it to the wretched town of Mansoul.  Wherefore, O my trusty Diabolonians, I command that yet more and more ye distress this town of Mansoul, and vex it with your wiles, ravish their women, deflower their virgins, slay their children, brain their ancients, fire their town, and what other mischief you can; and let this be the reward of the Mansoulians from me, for their desperate rebellions against me.’

This, you see, was the charge; but something stepped in betwixt that and execution, for as yet there was but little more done than to rage.

Moreover, when Diabolus had done thus, he went the next way up to the castle gates, and demanded that, upon pain of death, the gates should be opened to him, and that entrance should be given him and his men that followed after.  To whom Mr. Godly-Fear replied, (for he it was that had the charge of that gate,) that the gate should not be opened unto him, nor to the men that followed after him.  He said, moreover, that Mansoul, when she had suffered awhile, should be made perfect, strengthened, settled.

Then said Diabolus, ’Deliver me, then, the men that have petitioned against me, especially Captain Credence, that carried it to your Prince; deliver that varlet into my hands, and I will depart from the town.’

Then up starts a Diabolonian, whose name was Mr. Fooling, and said, ’My lord offereth you fair:  it is better for you that one man perish, than that your whole Mansoul should be undone.’

But Mr. Godly-Fear made him this replication, ’How long will Mansoul be kept out of the dungeon, when she hath given up her faith to Diabolus!  As good lose the town, as lose Captain Credence; for if one be gone the other must follow.’  But to that Mr. Fooling said nothing.

Then did my Lord Mayor reply, and said, ’O thou devouring tyrant, be it known unto thee, we shall hearken to none of thy words; we are resolved to resist thee as long as a captain, a man, a sling, and a stone to throw at thee shall be found in the town of Mansoul.’  But Diabolus answered, ’Do you hope, do you wait, do you look for help and deliverance?  You have sent to Emmanuel, but your wickedness sticks too close in your skirts, to let innocent prayers come out of your lips.  Think you that you shall be prevailers and prosper in this design?  You will fail in your wish, you will fail in your attempts; for it is not only I, but your Emmanuel is against you:  yea, it is he that hath sent me against you to subdue you.  For what, then, do you hope? or by what means will you escape?’