Anyway, episode 73, the Holy War. Prince Emmanuel's captains attempted to attack Diabolus and his besieging army of doubters, but they did so at night and were routed. Diabolus, therefore, went to the gate and demanded entrance, yet the Lord Mayor resisted, speaking brave words. The Lord Willbewill was also gallant and courageous within the gates of Mansoul, playing the man, as they used to say in olden days, while the captains and soldiers were in the field. He had armed himself in the town, and wherever he found a Diabolonian, they were forced to feel the weight of his heavy hand, and also the edge of his penetrating sword. Therefore, he wounded many of the Diabolonians, such as the Lord Cavill, the Lord brisk, the Lord pragmatic, and the Lord murmur. He also sorely maimed several of the meaner sorts, though at this time an account could not be given you of any he slew outright. The reason, or rather the advantage, that my Lord Willbewill had at this time to do this was because the captains had gone out to fight the enemy in the field. For now, thought the Diabolonians within, is our time to stir and cause an uproar in the town. Therefore, what do they do but quickly get themselves into a body and immediately cause evil thoughts and imaginations to arise in Mansoul like a hurricane, as if now nothing but whirlwind and tempest should be there. Therefore, as I said, he took this opportunity to fall upon them with his men, cutting and slashing with undaunted courage, at which the Diabolonians dispersed with all haste into their holds, and my lord to his place as before. This brave act of my Lord somewhat avenged the wrong done by Diabolus to the captains, and also let them know that Mansoul was not to be parted with for the loss of a victory or two. For this reason, the wing of the tyrant was clipped again, as to boasting, I mean, compared with what he would have done if the Diabolonians had put the town to the same plight to which Diabolus had put the captains. Well, Diabolus yet resolved to have the other bout with Mansoul. For, he thought, since I beat them once, I may beat them twice. Therefore, he commanded his men to be ready at such an hour of the night to make a fresh assault upon the town. And he gave his command a special order for them to apply all their force against Field Gate and attempt to break into the town there. The word he gave to his officers and soldiers was hellfire. And, said he, if we break in upon them, as it is my wish, either with some or with all our force, let them who break in look to it, that they forget not the word, and let nothing be heard in the town of Mansoul except hellfire, hellfire, hellfire. The drummer was also to beat without ceasing and the standard bearers were to display their colors. The soldiers, too, were to put on what courage they could and to see that they played manfully their parts against the town. So when night had come and all things by the tyrant made ready for the work, he suddenly made his assault upon Fieldgate. After he had struggled there a while, he threw the gate wide open, for the truth is, those gates were weak, and thus, most easily made to yield. When Diabolus had thus far made his attempt, he placed his captains there, namely, torment and no ease. So he attempted to press forward, but the prince's captains came down upon him and made his entrance more difficult than he desired. And, to tell you the truth, they resisted as best as they could, but three of their best and most valiant captains had been wounded, and by their wounds became incapable of serving the town as they desired. All the rest of Mansoul had more than their hands full of the doubters and their captains who followed Diabolus, and were overpowered with force. Neither could they keep them out of the town. Therefore the prince's men and their captains retreated to the castle, since it was the stronghold of the town. And this they did partly for their own security, partly for the security of the town, and partly, or rather chiefly, to preserve to Emmanuel the prerogative royal of Mansoul, for the castle was the heart of Mansoul. The captains, therefore, having fled into the castle without much resistance, the enemy possessed the rest of the town. They spread themselves as they went into every corner. According to the command of the tyrant, they cried out as they marched, hellfire, hellfire, hellfire. So for a while, nothing throughout the town of Mansoul could be heard but the direful noise of hellfire, together with the roaring of Diabolus' drum. And now the clouds hung black over Mansoul, nor to reason did anything but ruin seem to attend it. Diabolus also quartered his soldiers in the houses of the inhabitants of the town of Mansoul. Yes, the subordinate preacher's house was as full of these outlandish doubters as ever it could hold, and so was my Lord Mayor's, and my Lord Willbewill's also. Yes, Where was there a corner, a cottage, a barn, or hogstie that now was not full of these vermin? Yes, they turned the men of the town out of their houses and would lie in their beds and sit at their tables themselves. Ah, poor Mansoul. Now, you feel the fruits of sin and what venom was in the flattering words of Mr. Carnal Security. They wreaked great havoc in whatever they laid their hands on. Yes, they fired the town in several places. Many young children were also dashed in pieces by them, and they destroyed those yet unborn in their mother's wombs. For you must understand that it could not now be otherwise. For what conscience, what pity, what bowels of compassion can any expect at the hands of outlandish doubters? They forced, ravaged, and beast-like abused many women in Mansoul, so that they fainted, miscarried, and many of them died, and so lay at the top of every street and in all byplaces of the town. And now, Mansoul seemed to be nothing but a den of dragons, an emblem of hell, and a place of total darkness. Now Mansoul lay almost like the barren wilderness, nothing but nettles, briars, thorns, weeds, and stinking things now seem to cover the face of Mansoul. I told you before how these Diabolonian doubters turned the men of Mansoul out of their beds, and now I will add, they wounded them, they mauled them, yes, and almost beat the brains out of many of them. Many did, I say, in fact, most, if not all of them. They wounded Mr. Conscience so badly, and his wounds were so festered that he had no relief from pain day or night, but lay, if continually, upon a rack. Nevertheless, Shaddai rules all, otherwise they would have slain him outright. They so abused Mr. Lord Mayor that they almost put out his eyes. And had not my Lord Willbewill escaped into the castle, they intended to chop him all to pieces. For as his heart now stood, they viewed him to be one of the very worst of the Mansoulians against Diabolus and his crew. And indeed, he has shown himself to be a gallant man, and more of his exploits you will hear of afterwards. Now, a man might have walked for days together in Mansoul, and scarcely have been seen one in the town who looked like a religious man. Oh, the fearful state of Mansoul now! Now every corner swarmed with outlandish doubters. Redcoats and blackcoats walked the town by clusters, and filled up all the houses with hideous noises, vain songs, lying stories and blasphemous language against Shaddai and his son. Now also those Diabolonians who lurked in the walls and dens and holes that were in the town of Mansoul came forth and showed themselves. Yes, walked with open face in company with the doubters who were in Mansoul. Yes, they had more boldness now to walk the streets, to haunt the houses, and to show themselves abroad than had any of the honest inhabitants of the now woeful town of Mansoul. But Diabolus and his outlandish men were to be continued.