The King’s captains, when they marched from the court to come up against Mansoul to war, as they came crossing over the country, they happened to light upon three young fellows that had a mind to go for soldiers:  proper men they were, and men of courage and skill, to appearance.  Their names were Mr. Tradition, Mr. Human-Wisdom, and Mr. Man’s-Invention.  So they came up to the captains, and proffered their service to Shaddai.  The captains then told them of their design, and bid them not to be rash in their offers; but the young men told them they had considered the thing before, and that hearing they were upon their march for such a design, came hither on purpose to meet them, that they might be listed under their excellencies.  Then Captain Boanerges, for that they were men of courage, listed them into his company, and so away they went to the war.

Now, when the war was begun, in one of the briskest skirmishes, so it was, that a company of the Lord Willbewill’s men sallied out at the sallyport or postern of the town, and fell in upon the rear of Captain Boanerges’ men, where these three fellows happened to be; so they took them prisoners, and away they carried them into the town, where they had not lain long in durance, but it began to be noised about the streets of the town what three notable prisoners the Lord Willbewill’s men had taken, and brought in prisoners out of the camp of Shaddai.  At length tidings thereof were carried to Diabolus to the castle, to wit what my Lord Willbewill’s men had done, and whom they had taken prisoners.

Then Diabolus called for Willbewill, to know the certainty of this matter.  So he asked him, and he told him.  Then did the giant send for the prisoners, and, when they were come, demanded of them who they were, whence they came, and what they did in the camp of Shaddai; and they told him.  Then he sent them to ward again.  Not many days after, he sent for them to him again, and then asked them if they would be willing to serve him against their former captains.  They then told him that they did not so much live by religion as by the fates of fortune; and that since his lordship was willing to entertain them, they should be willing to serve him.  Now while things were thus in hand, there was one Captain Anything, a great doer, in the town of Mansoul; and to this Captain Anything did Diabolus send these men, and a note under his hand, to receive them into his company, the contents of which letter were thus: 

’Anything, my darling,—­The three men that are the bearers of this letter have a desire to serve me in the war; nor know I better to whose conduct to commit them than to thine.  Receive them, therefore, in my name, and, as need shall require, make use of them against Shaddai and his men.  Farewell.’

So they came, and he received them; and he made of two of them sergeants; but he made Mr. Man’s-Invention his ancient-bearer.  But thus much for this, and now to return to the camp.