’Thou hast, moreover, (as if all these were but little things with thee,) not only deluded and undone this place, but, by thy lies and fradulent carriage, hast set them against their own deliverance.  How hast thou stirred them up against my Father’s captains, and made them to fight against those that were sent of him to deliver them from their bondage!  All these things, and very many more, thou hast done against thy light, and in contempt of my Father and of his law, yea, and with design to bring under his displeasure for ever the miserable town of Mansoul.  I am therefore come to avenge the wrong that thou hast done to my Father, and to deal with thee for the blasphemies wherewith thou hast made poor Mansoul blaspheme his name.  Yea, upon thy head, thou prince of the infernal cave, will I requite it.

’As for myself, O Diabolus, I am come against thee by lawful power, and to take, by strength of hand, this town of Mansoul out of thy burning fingers; for this town of Mansoul is mine, O Diabolus, and that by undoubted right, as all shall see that will diligently search the most ancient and most authentic records, and I will plead my title to it, to the confusion of thy face.

’First, for the town of Mansoul, my Father built and did fashion it with his hand.  The palace also that is in the midst of that town, he built it for his own delight.  This town of Mansoul, therefore, is my Father’s, and that by the best of titles, and he that gainsays the truth of this must lie against his soul.

’Secondly, O thou master of the lie, this town of Mansoul is mine.

’1.  For that I am my Father’s heir, his firstborn, and the only delight of his heart.  I am therefore come up against thee in mine own right, even to recover mine own inheritance out of thine hand.

’2.  But further, as I have a right and title to Mansoul by being my Father’s heir, so I have also by my Father’s donation.  His it was, and he gave it me; nor have I at any time offended my Father, that he should take it from me, and give it to thee.  Nor have I been forced, by playing the bankrupt, to sell or set to sale to thee my beloved town of Mansoul.  Mansoul is my desire, my delight, and the joy of my heart.  But,

’3.  Mansoul is mine by right of purchase.  I have bought it, O Diabolus, I have bought it to myself.  Now, since it was my Father’s and mine, as I was his heir, and since also I have made it mine by virtue of a great purchase, it followeth that, by all lawful right, the town of Mansoul is mine, and that thou art an usurper, a tyrant, and traitor, in thy holding possession thereof.  Now, the cause of my purchasing of it was this:  Mansoul had trespassed against my Father; now my Father had said, that in the day that they broke his law they should die.  Now, it is more possible for heaven and earth to pass away than for my Father to break his word.  Wherefore when Mansoul had sinned indeed by hearkening to thy lie, I put in and became a surety to my Father, body for body, and soul for soul, that I would make amends for Mansoul’s transgressions, and my Father did accept thereof.  So, when the time appointed was come, I gave body for body, soul for soul, life for life, blood for blood, and so redeemed my beloved Mansoul.