ade
three assaults, most fierce, one after another, upon Eargate, to the
shaking of the posts thereof. Captain Conviction also made up fast with
Boanerges, and both discovering that the gate began to yield, they
commanded that the rams should still be played against it. But Captain
Conviction, going up very near to the gate, was with great force driven
back, and received three wounds in the mouth. Nor did Captain Good-hope
nor Captain Charity come behind in this most desperate fight, for they
too so behaved at Eyegate that they had almost broken it quite open. And
this took away the hearts of many of the Diabolonians. As for Will-be-
will, I never saw him so daunted in my life, and some say he got a wound
in the leg.

When the battle was over Diabolus again attempted to make terms by
proposing a surrender on the condition that he should remain in the town
as Emmanuel's deputy, and press upon the people a reformation according
to law; but Emmanuel replied that nothing would be regarded that he
could propose, for he had neither conscience to God nor love to the town
of Mansoul. Diabolus therefore withdrew himself from the walls to the
fort in the heart of the town, and, filled with despair of retaining the
town in his hands, resolved to do it what mischief he could; for, said
he, "Better demolish the place and leave it a heap of ruins than that it
should be a habitation for Emmanuel."

Knowing the next battle would issue in his being master of the place,
Emmanuel gave out a royal commandment to all his men of war to show
themselves men of war against Diabolus and all Diabolonians, but
favourable and meek to the old inhabitants of Mansoul. Then, after three
or four notable charges, Eargate was burst open, and the bolts and bars
broken into a thousand pieces. Then did the prince's trumpets sound, the
captains shout, the town shake, and Diabolus retreat to his hold. And
there was a great slaughter till the Diabolonians lay dead in every
corner--though too many were yet alive in Mansoul. Now, the old recorder
and my lord Understanding, with some others of the chief of the town,
came together, and jointly agreed to draw up a petition, and send it to
Emmanuel while he sat in the gate of Mansoul. The contents of the
petition were these: "That they--the old inhabitants of the deplorable
town of Mansoul--confessed their sin, and were sorry that they had
offended his princely majesty, and prayed that he would spare their
lives."