sonable, and Shaddai's laws were the reverse of reasonable. They
had a fruit growing among them, in Mansoul, which they had but to eat
to become wise. Knowledge was well known to be the best of
possessions. Knowledge was freedom; ignorance was bondage; and yet
Shaddai had forbidden them to touch this precious fruit.

At that moment Captain Resistance fell dead, pierced by an arrow from
Tisiphone. Ill Pause made a flowing speech, in the midst of which
Lord Innocent fell also, either through a blow from Diabolus, or
'overpowered by the stinking breath of the old villain Ill Pause.' The
people flew upon the apple tree; Eargate and Eyegate were thrown open,
and Diabolus was invited to come in; when at once he became King of
Mansoul and established himself in the castle.[5]

[Footnote 5: The heart.]

The magistrates were immediately changed. Lord Understanding ceased to
be Lord Mayor. Mr. Conscience was no longer left as Recorder. Diabolus
built up a wall in front of Lord Understanding's palace, and shut off
the light, 'so that till Mansoul was delivered the old Lord Mayor was
rather an impediment than, an advantage to that famous town.' Diabolus
tried long to bring 'Conscience' over to his side, but never quite
succeeded. The Recorder became greatly corrupted, but he could not be
prevented from now and then remembering Shaddai; and when the fit was
on him he would shake the town with his exclamations. Diabolus
therefore had to try other methods with him. 'He had a way to make the
old gentleman when he was merry unsay and deny what in his fits he had
affirmed, and this was the next way to make him ridiculous and to
cause that no man should regard him.' To make all secure Diabolus
often said, 'Oh, Mansoul, consider that, notwithstanding the old
gentleman's rage and the rattle of his high thundering words, you hear
nothing of Shaddai himself.' The Recorder had pretended that the voice
of the Lord was speaking in him. Had this been so, Diabolus argued
that the Lord would have done more than speak. 'Shaddai,' he said,
'valued not the loss nor the rebellion of Mansoul, nor would he
trouble himself with calling his town to a reckoning.'

In this way the Recorder came to be generally hated, and more than
once the people would have destroyed him. Happily his house was a
castle near the waterworks. When the rabble pursued him, he would pull
up the sluices,[6] let in the flood, and drown all about him.

[Footnote 6: Fears.]

Lo