Captain Credence had received a letter from Prince Emmanuel last week instructing the captain to go into the field and Its meaning being unknown, the captain went, actually it wasn't last week, it was the week before last. We didn't have an evening service. So instructing the captain to go into the field. Its meaning being unknown, the captain went to the Lord Secretary for guidance. The Lord Secretary informed him that the Diabolonians had a council for a planned attack against Mansoul. The Lord Secretary said, that they would attempt to make the town of Mansoul destroy herself and, to this end, they are making ready for their own departure out of the town. Sorry about that. intending to retreat to the field again, and there to wait until they see whether their plan will work or not. But be ready with the men of your Lord, for on the third day they will be in the plain, and it is there you may fall upon the Diabolonians. For the prince will be, excuse me, for the prince will by that time be in the field, yes, by daybreak, at sunrise or before, and that with a mighty force against them. So he shall be before them and you shall be behind them, and between you both their army shall be destroyed. When Captain Credence heard this, away he went to the rest of the captains and told them what a note had he received a while ago from the hand of Emmanuel. And, he said, that which was difficult to understand, my Lord, the Lord's secretary, has explained to me. He told them, moreover, what he himself must do, and also what must be done by them to answer the mind of their Lord. Then were the captains glad, and Captain Credence commanded that all the king's trumpeters should ascend to the battlements of the castle, and there, in the audience of Diabolus and of the whole town of Mansoul, make the best music that heart could invent. The trumpeters did as they were commanded. They ascended up to the top of the castle and began to sound." And remember that praise is one of the best things A merry heart maketh good like a medicine, and praise is that which drove out the evil spirits for Saul, the king of Israel, when David played the lyre and sang songs. So that's one of the strategies here. This startled Diabolus. This startled Diabolus. He said, what can be the meaning of this? They neither sound boot and saddle, nor horse and away, nor a charge. What do these madmen mean that they should yet be so merry and glad? Then one of Diabolus' friends answered and said, this is for joy that their Prince Emmanuel is coming to relieve the town of Mansoul, and because he is at the head of an army, and that their relief is near. The men of Mansoul also were greatly concerned at this melodious charm of the trumpets. They said, yes. They answered one another, saying, this cannot be harmful to us. Surely this can be no harm to us. Then said the Diabolonians, what is best for us to do? One answered, it was best to leave the town, and that you all may do in pursuance of your last command, and by so doing, also be better able to engage the enemy in battle, should any army from outside come upon us. So, on the second day, they withdrew themselves from Mansoul and dwelt in the plains outside. But they encamped against, they encamped themselves before Eyegate in what earthly terrine and terrible manner they could. The reason why they would not abide in the town, besides the reasons that were debated in their late night closed assembly, was because they did not possess the stronghold and because, they said, it shall be more convenient to fight and also to flee if need be. when we are encamped in the open plains. Besides, the town would have been a pit for them rather than a place of defense had the prince come up and surrounded them. Therefore, they took to the field so they might also be out of the reach of the slings by which they were much annoyed all the while they were in the town. Well, the time that the captains were to descend upon the Diabolonians had come, and they eagerly prepared themselves for action. Captain Credence had told the captains the night before that they should meet their prince in the field in the morning. This, therefore, gave them an even greater desire to engage the enemy. For the statement, you shall see the prince in the field tomorrow, was like oil to a flaming fire, since they had been distanced from their prince for such a long time. They were, therefore, the more earnest longing to do the work. So, as I said, the hour having arrived, Captain Credence, with the rest of the men of war, drew out their forces by the town's sally port before it was day. And being all ready, Captain Credence went up to the head of the army and gave the word to the rest of the captains. The captains gave the word likewise to their under officers and soldiers. The word was, the sword of the prince, Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence, which in the Mansoulian tongue was the word of God and faith. Then the captains descended upon Diabolus' camp, boldly to the front, to their flank, and also to their rear. Now, they left Captain Experience in the town because he was still ill from wounds he received from the Diabolonians in the last fight. But when he perceived that the captains were at it, what does he do? He calls quickly for his crutches, gets up, and away he goes to battle, saying, Shall I lie here when my brothers are in the fight, and when Emmanuel the prince will show himself in the field to his servants? And when the enemy saw the wounded captain join the army on crutches, they were even more intimidated. For, they thought, what spirit has possessed these Mansoulians that they fight us upon their crutches? Amen. Indeed. Well, the captains As I said, descended upon them bravely handling their weapons and crying out with shouts as they struck them, the sword of the prince, Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence. When Diabolus saw that the captains had come out and that his men were so valiantly surrounded, he concluded that nothing but blows from them and strikes from their two-edged sword would be all they would see, at least for now. Therefore, he also fell upon the prince's army with all his deadly force. So the battle was joined. Now, who did Diabolus first meet in the fight? But Captain Credence on the one hand, and the Lord Willbewill on the other. Now, Will Be Will's blows were like the blows of a giant, for that man had a strong arm, and he fell upon the election doubters, for they were Diabolus's lifeguards, and he kept them occupied a good while, cutting and battering shrewdly. Now, when Captain Credence saw my lord engage, he stoutly fell on them, on the other hand, upon the same company also, so they put them to great disorder. Now Captain Good Hope had engaged the vocation doubters, and they were sturdy men, but the captain was a valiant man. Captain Experience also sent him some aid, so he made the vocation doubters retreat. The rest of the armies were hotly engaged on every side, and the Diabolonians fought stoutly. Then my lord secretary commanded that the slings from the castle should be used, and his men could throw stones at a hare's breath. But after a while, those who fled before the prince's captains began to rally again, and they came up stoutly upon the rear of the prince's army. Therefore, the prince's army began to faint. But remembering that they should see the face of their prince by and by, they took courage, and a very fierce battle was fought. Then the captains shouted, the sword of the prince, Emmanuel, and the shield of Captain Credence. And with that, Diabolus turned back, thinking that more help had come. But no, Emmanuel had not yet to, had yet to appear. Moreover, the battle hung in doubt, and both sides had retreated a little. Now, in the time of respite, Captain Credence bravely encouraged his men to hold their ground, and Diabolus did likewise, as well as he could. Captain Credence, however, made a brave speech to his soldiers, the contents of which was as follows. Gentlemen, soldiers, and my brothers in Jedi's eternal plan, I rejoice greatly this day to see for our prince in the field so stout and so valiant an army and such faithful lovers of man's soul. You have since, as suits you, shown yourselves to be continued.