The Holy War | Page 6

one of those beasts that Mansoul deems to be wiser than any of the rest.' This
advice was applauded of all: so it was determined that the giant Diabolus should assume
the dragon, for that he was in those days as familiar with the town of Mansoul as now is
the bird with the boy; for nothing that was in its primitive state was at all amazing to
them. Then they proceeded to the third thing, which was:
3. Whether they had best to show their intentions, or the design of his coming, to
Mansoul, or no. This also was answered in the negative, because of the weight that was in
the former reasons, to wit, for that Mansoul were a strong people, a strong people in a
strong town, whose wall and gates were impregnable, (to say nothing of their castle,) nor
can they by any means be won but by their own consent. 'Besides,' said Legion, (for he
gave answer to this,) 'a discovery of our intentions may make them send to their king for
aid; and if that be done, I know quickly what time of day it will be with us. Therefore let
us assault them in all pretended fairness, covering our intentions with all manner of lies,
flatteries, delusive words; feigning things that never will be, and promising that to them
that they shall never find. This is the way to win Mansoul, and to make them of
themselves open their gates to us; yea, and to desire us too to come in to them. And the
reason why I think that this project will do is, because the people of Mansoul now are,
every one, simple and innocent, all honest and true; nor do they as yet know what it is to
be assaulted with fraud, guile, and hypocrisy. They are strangers to lying and dissembling
lips; wherefore we cannot, if thus we be disguised, by them at all be discerned; our lies
shall go for true sayings, and our dissimulations for upright dealings. What we promise
them they will in that believe us, especially if, in all our lies and feigned words, we
pretend great love to them, and that our design is only their advantage and honour.' Now
there was not one bit of a reply against this; this went as current down as doth the water
down a steep descent. Wherefore they go to consider of the last proposal, which was:
4. Whether they had not best to give out orders to some of their company to shoot some
one or more of the principal of the townsmen, if they judge that their cause may be
promoted thereby. This was carried in the affirmative, and the man that was designed by
this stratagem to be destroyed was one Mr. Resistance, otherwise called Captain
Resistance. And a great man in Mansoul this Captain Resistance was, and a man that the
giant Diabolus and his band more feared than they feared the whole town of Mansoul
besides. Now who should be the actor to do the murder? That was the next, and they
appointed one Tisiphone, a fury of the lake, to do it.

They thus having ended their council of war, rose up, and essayed to do as they had
determined; they marched towards Mansoul, but all in a manner invisible, save one, only
one; nor did he approach the town in his own likeness, but under the shade and in the
body of the dragon.
So they drew up and sat down before Ear-gate, for that was the place of hearing for all
without the town, as Eye-gate was the place of perspection. So, as I said, he came up with
his train to the gate, and laid his ambuscado for Captain Resistance within bow- shot of
the town. This done, the giant ascended up close to the gate, and called to the town of
Mansoul for audience. Nor took he any with him but one Ill-pause, who was his orator in
all difficult matters. Now, as I said, he being come up to the gate, (as the manner of those
times was,) sounded his trumpet for audience; at which the chief of the town of Mansoul,
such as my Lord Innocent, my Lord Willbewill, my Lord Mayor, Mr. Recorder, and
Captain Resistance, came down to the wall to see who was there, and what was the matter.
And my Lord Willbewill, when he had looked over and saw who stood at the gate,
demanded what he was, wherefore he was come, and why he roused the town of Mansoul
with so unusual a sound.
Diabolus, then, as if he had been a lamb, began his oration, and said: 'Gentlemen of the
famous town of Mansoul, I am, as you may perceive,