Then said the Clerk, ’Come, Mr. Tell-True, give in your evidence concerning the prisoner at the bar, about that for which he stands here, as you see, indicted by this honourable Court.’

Tell.  My lord, I have heard him often say he had rather think of the vilest thing than of what is contained in the Holy Scriptures.

Clerk.  Where did you hear him say such grievous words?

Tell.  Where?—­in a great many places, particularly in Nauseous Street, in the house of one Shameless, and in Filth Lane, at the sign of the Reprobate, next door to the Descent into the Pit.

Court.  Gentlemen, you have heard the indictment, his plea, and the testimony of the witnesses.  Gaoler, set Mr. Hard-Heart to the bar.

He is set to the bar.

Clerk.  Mr. Hard-Heart, thou art here indicted by the name of Hard-Heart, (an intruder upon the town of Mansoul,) for that thou didst most desperately and wickedly possess the town of Mansoul with impenitency and obdurateness; and didst keep them from remorse and sorrow for their evils, all the time of their apostacy from and rebellion against the blessed King Shaddai.  What sayest thou to this indictment?  Art thou guilty, or not guilty?

Hard.  My lord, I never knew what remorse or sorrow meant in all my life.  I am impenetrable.  I care for no man; nor can I be pierced with men’s griefs; their groans will not enter into my heart.  Whomsoever I mischief, whomsoever I wrong, to me it is music, when to others mourning.

Court.  You see the man is a right Diabolonian, and has convicted himself.  Set him by, gaoler, and set Mr. False-Peace to the bar.

False-Peace set to the bar.

“Mr. False-Peace, thou art here indicted by the name of False-Peace, (an intruder upon the town of Mansoul,) for that thou didst most wickedly and satanically bring, hold, and keep the town of Mansoul, both in her apostacy and in her hellish rebellion, in a false, groundless, and dangerous peace, and damnable security, to the dishonour of the King, the transgression of his law, and the great damage of the town of Mansoul.  What sayest thou?  Art thou guilty of this indictment, or not?

Then said Mr. False-Peace:  ’Gentlemen, and you now appointed to be my judges, I acknowledge that my name is Mr. Peace; but that my name is False-Peace I utterly deny.  If your honours shall please to send for any that do intimately know me, or for the midwife that laid my mother of me, or for the gossips that were at my christening, they will, any or all of them, prove that my name is not False-Peace, but Peace.  Wherefore I cannot plead to this indictment, forasmuch as my name is not inserted therein; and as is my true name, so are also my conditions.  I was always a man that loved to live at quiet, and what I loved myself, that I thought others might love also.  Wherefore, when I saw any of my neighbours to labour under a disquieted mind, I endeavoured to help them what I could; and instances of this good temper of mine many I could give; as,