Then said the Prince, ’And what is he that is become thy companion in this so weighty a matter?’ So Mr. Desires told Emmanuel that he was a poor neighbour of his, and one of his most intimate associates.  ‘And his name,’ said he, ’may it please your most excellent Majesty, is Wet-Eyes, of the town of Mansoul, I know that there are many of that name that are naught; but I hope it will be no offence to my Lord that I have brought my poor neighbour with me.’

Then Mr. Wet-Eyes fell on his face to the ground, and made this apology for his coming with his neighbour to his Lord:-

‘O, my Lord,’ quoth he, ’what I am I know not myself, nor whether my name be feigned or true, especially when I begin to think what some have said, namely, That this name was given me because Mr. Repentance was my father.  Good men have bad children, and the sincere do oftentimes beget hypocrites.  My mother also called me by this name from the cradle; but whether because of the moistness of my brain, or because of the softness of my heart, I cannot tell.  I see dirt in mine own tears, and filthiness in the bottom of my prayers.  But I pray thee (and all this while the gentleman wept) that thou wouldest not remember against us our transgressions, nor take offence at the unqualifiedness of thy servants, but mercifully pass by the sin of Mansoul, and refrain from the glorifying of thy grace no longer.’

So at his bidding they arose, and both stood trembling before him, and he spake to them to this purpose:-

“The town of Mansoul hath grievously rebelled against my Father, in that they have rejected him from being their King, and did choose to themselves for their captain a liar, a murderer, and a runagate slave.  For this Diabolus, your pretended prince, though once so highly accounted of by you, made rebellion against my Father and me, even in our palace and highest court there, thinking to become a prince and king.  But being there timely discovered and apprehended, and for his wickedness bound in chains, and separated to the pit with those that were his companions, he offered himself to you, and you have received him.

’Now this is, and for a long time hath been, a high affront to my Father; wherefore my Father sent to you a powerful army to reduce you to your obedience.  But you know how these men, their captains and their counsels, were esteemed of you, and what they received at your hand.  You rebelled against them, you shut your gates upon them, you bid them battle, you fought them, and fought for Diabolus against them.  So they sent to my Father for more power, and I, with my men, are come to subdue you.  But as you treated the servants, so you treated their Lord.  You stood up in hostile manner against me, you shut up your gates against me, you turned the deaf ear to me, and resisted as long as you could; but now I have made a conquest of you.  Did you cry me mercy so long as you had hopes that you might prevail against