Emmanuel had finished objecting to all of Mr. Unwilling to Stoop's ridiculous compromises and concessions, and so Mr. Unwilling to Stoop returned to Mansoul and reported to Diabolus all that had happened. When Mansoul and Diabolus had heard these things related with one consent, they concluded to use their best efforts to keep Emmanuel out of Mansoul. They sent old Ilpaz, of whom you have heard before, to tell the prince and his captain so. came up to the top of Irgate and called to Emmanuel's camp for a hearing. And when he had their attention, he said, I have been commanded by my high lord to bid you to tell your prince, Emmanuel, that Mansoul and their king are resolved to stand and fall together, and that it is vain for your prince to think of ever having Mansoul in his hand unless he can take it by force. So some went and told Immanuel what old Ilpas, a Diabolonian in Mansoul, had said. Then said the prince, I must try the power of my sword, for I will not raise my siege and depart, not even for all the rebellions and repulses Mansoul has made against me. I will assuredly take my Mansoul and deliver it from the hand of her enemy. And with that, he commanded that Captain Boanerges, Captain Conviction, Captain Judgment, and Captain Execution should immediately march up to Irrigate with trumpets sounding, colors flying, and with shouting for the battle. He also desired that Captain Belief should join them. Emmanuel, moreover, ordered that Captain Good Hope and Captain Love should slowly maneuver themselves before Eyegate. He also directed the rest of his captains and their men to place themselves advantageously against the enemy round about the town, and all was done as he had commanded. Then he gave order for a word to be given forth, and the word was at that time Immanuel. Then an alarm sounded, and the battering rams were put into action, and the slings whirled stones furiously into the town, and thus the battle began. Now, Diabolus himself managed the townsmen in the war, and he did so at every gate. For this reason, their resistance was the more forcible, hellish, and offensive to Emmanuel. Consequently, the good prince was engaged and entertained by Diabolus and Mansoul. for several days altogether, and a sight worth seeing it was, to behold how the captains of Shaddai conducted themselves in this war." At first, for Captain Boanerges, not to undervalue the rest, he made three most fear assaults upon Irrgate, one after another, which shook the gate's posts. Captain Conviction also made assaults upon Irrgate with Boanerges as fast as he possibly could, and both discerning that the gate began to yield. They commanded that the rams should still be put into action against it. Now, Captain Conviction, going up very near the gate, was driven back with great force and received three wounds in the mouth. And those who rode Reformatus went about to encourage the captains. The prince sent for the two captains to come to his pavilion for the valor they displayed, as just mentioned, and commanded that they should rest themselves a while until they should be somewhat refreshed. Care was also given to Captain Conviction so he might heal from his wounds. The prince also gave to each of them a chain of gold and bid them to be of good courage. Neither Captain Good Hope nor Captain Love were slack in this most desperate fight, for they behaved themselves so well at Eyegate they almost broke it quite open. These two also received a reward from their prince, as did the rest of the captains also, because they valiantly fought round about the town. In this engagement, several of the officers of Diabolus were slain and some of the townsmen wounded. For the officers, there was one slain, a captain boasting. This boasting thought nobody could shake the posts of Irrgate, nor could shake the heart of Diabolus. Next to him, there was another slain, a captain secure. This Secure used to say that the blind and lame and mansoul were able to protect the gates of the town against Emmanuel's army. Captain Secure's head was finally split by Captain Conviction with a two-handed sword after Conviction received three wounds in his mouth. Besides these, there was one Captain Bragband, a very desperate fellow, and he was captain over a band of those who threw firebrands, arrows, and death. He also received a mortal wound in the breast at Eyegate by the hand of Captain Goodhope. There was, moreover, a Mr. Feeling. He was not a captain, but a great stickler to encourage Mansoul to rebellion. He received a wound in the eye by the hand of one of Boanerges' soldiers and was slain by Boanerges himself when he attempted to make a sudden retreat. But I never saw Will Be Will so daunted in all my life. He was unable to do as he had in the past, and some say he also received a wound in the leg, for some of the men in the prince's army had certainly witnessed him limping, as they had seen him afterwards walking upon the town wall. I shall not give you a detailed account of the names of the soldiers who were slain in the town, for many were maimed and wounded and slain. For when they saw the posts of Irgate shake, and that Eyegate was nearly broken quite open, and also their captain slain, this ravished the hearts of many of the Diabolonians. They also fell by the force of the shot sent by the golden slings into the midst of the town of Mansoul. To be continued. Thoughts to ponder from today's episode, Immanuel assigned Captain Boanerges, Captain's Boanerges conviction, judgment, execution, and belief to Irgate. Remember, Boanerges means thunder. Why were they positioned at Irgate? Read John 16 verses 8 through 11, Romans 10 verse 17, and Jeremiah 51 verse 6 to help with your answer. Immanuel assigned Captain Good Hope and Love to Eyegate. Why were they positioned here rather than someplace else? Read John 3 verses 14 to 16 and Numbers 28 verse 8 to help with your answer. And Captain Conviction received three wounds in his assault against Eargate. What was meant by this? How could conviction of God's Word be wounded? Read Acts 9 1-8 to help with your answer.