The Holy War, Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World; Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of MansoulBunyan, John
ReligionChristian
The Holy War, Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World; Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul
Bunyan, John
Christian fiction; Soul; Spiritual warfare -- Fiction
Now when the captains saw the answer of the great ones, and that they
could not get a hearing from the old natives of the town, and that
Mansoul was resolved to give the King’s army battle, they prepared
themselves to receive them, and to try it out by the power of the arm.
And, first, they made their force more formidable against Ear-gate; for
they knew that, unless they could penetrate that, no good could be done
upon the town. This done, they put the rest of their men in their
places; after which, they gave out the word, which was, ‘YE MUST BE BORN
AGAIN.’ Then they sounded the trumpet; then they in the town made them
answer, with shout against shout, charge against charge, and so the
battle began. Now they in the town had planted upon the tower over
Ear-gate two great guns, the one called High-mind, and the other Heady.
Unto these two guns they trusted much; they were cast in the castle by
Diabolus’ founder, whose name was Mr. Puff-up, and mischievous pieces
they were. But so vigilant and watchful, when the captains saw them,
were they, that though sometimes their shot would go by their ears with a
whiz, yet they did them no harm. By these two guns the townsfolk made no
question but greatly to annoy the camp of Shaddai, and well enough to
secure the gate; but they had not much cause to boast of what execution
they did, as by what follows will be gathered.
The famous Mansoul had also some other small pieces in it, of the which
they made use against the camp of Shaddai.
They from the camp also did as stoutly, and with as much of that as may
in truth be called valour, let fly as fast at the town and at Ear-gate;
for they saw that, unless they could break open Ear-gate, it would be but
in vain to batter the wall. Now the King’s captains had brought with
them several slings, and two or three battering-rams; with their slings,
therefore, they battered the houses and people of the town, and with
their rams they sought to break Ear-gate open.
The camp and the town had several skirmishes and brisk encounters, while
the captains with their engines made many brave attempts to break open or
beat down the tower that was over Ear-gate, and at the said gate to make
their entrance; but Mansoul stood it out so lustily, through the rage of
Diabolus, the valour of the Lord Willbewill, and the conduct of old
Incredulity, the Mayor, and Mr. Forget-Good, the Recorder, that the
charge and expense of that summer’s wars, on the King’s side, seemed to
be almost quite lost, and the advantage to return to Mansoul. But when
the captains saw how it was they made a fair retreat, and entrenched
themselves in their winter quarters. Now, in this war, you must needs
think there was much loss on both sides, of which be pleased to accept of
this brief account following.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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