captains, his laws, their mercifulness, and applauded their conditions and ways.  Thus the bickerment went awhile; at last they passed from words to blows, and now there were knocks on both sides.  The good old gentleman, Mr. Conscience, was knocked down twice by one of the Diabolonians, whose name was Mr. Benumbing; and my Lord Understanding had like to have been slain with an arquebuse, but that he that shot did not take his aim aright.  Nor did the other side wholly escape; for there was one Mr. Rashhead, a Diabolonian, that had his brains beaten out by Mr. Mind, the Lord Willbewill’s servant; and it made me laugh to see how old Mr. Prejudice was kicked and tumbled about in the dirt; for though, a while since, he was made captain of a company of the Diabolonians, to the hurt and damage of the town, yet now they had got him under their feet, and, I’ll assure you, he had, by some of the Lord Understanding’s party, his crown cracked to boot.  Mr. Anything also, he became a brisk man in the broil; but both sides were against him, because he was true to none.  Yet he had, for his malapertness, one of his legs broken, and he that did it wished it had been his neck.  Much more harm was done on both sides, but this must not be forgotten; it was now a wonder to see my Lord Willbewill so indifferent as he was:  he did not seem to take one side more than another, only it was perceived that he smiled to see how old Prejudice was tumbled up and down in the dirt.  Also, when Captain Anything came halting up before him, he seemed to take but little notice of him.

Now, when the uproar was over, Diabolus sends for my Lord Understanding and Mr. Conscience, and claps them both up in prison as the ringleaders and managers of this most heavy, riotous rout in Mansoul.  So now the town began to be quiet again, and the prisoners were used hardly; yea, he thought to have made them away, but that the present juncture did not serve for that purpose, for that war was in all their gates.

But let us return again to our story.  The captains, when they were gone back from the gate, and were come into the camp again, called a council of war, to consult what was further for them to do.  Now, some said, ‘Let us go up presently, and fall upon the town;’ but the greatest part thought rather better it would be to give them another summons to yield; and the reason why they thought this to be best was, because that, so far as could be perceived, the town of Mansoul now was more inclinable than heretofore.  ‘And if,’ said they, ’while some of them are in a way of inclination, we should by ruggedness give them distaste, we may set them further from closing with our summons than we would be willing they should.’  Wherefore to this advice they agreed, and called a trumpeter, put words into his mouth, set him his time, and bid him God speed.  Well, many hours were not expired before the trumpeter addressed himself to his journey.  Wherefore, coming up to the wall of the town, he steereth his course to Ear-gate, and there sounded, as he was commanded.  They then that were within came out to see what was the matter, and the trumpeter made them this speech following: