Diabolus then began his oration.

“Gentlemen of the famous town of Mansoul, I have somewhat of concern to impart unto you.  And first I will assure you it is not my own but your advantage that I seek.  I am come to show you how you may obtain ample deliverance from a bondage that, unawares to yourselves, you are captivated and enslaved under.”

At this the town of Mansoul began to prick up its ears.

“And what is it, pray?  What is it?” thought they.

Then Diabolus spoke on.

“Touching your king, I know he is great and potent; but his laws are unreasonable, intricate, and intolerable.  There is a great difference and disproportion betwixt the life and an apple, yet one must go for the other by the law of your Shaddai.  Why should you be holden in ignorance and blindness?  O ye inhabitants of Mansoul, ye are not a free people!  And is it not grievous to think on, that the very thing you are forbidden to do, might you but do it would yield you both wisdom and honour?”

And just now, while Diabolus was speaking these words to Mansoul, Tisiphone shot at Captain Resistance, where he stood on the gate, and mortally wounded him in the head, so that he, to the amazement of the townsmen, fell down quite dead over the wall.  Now, when Captain Resistance was dead—­and he was the only man of war in the town—­poor Mansoul was left wholly naked of courage.  Then stood forth Mr. Ill-pause, that Diabolus brought with him as his orator, and persuaded the townsfolk to take of the tree which King Shaddai had forbidden; and when they saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, they took and did eat.  Now even while this Ill-pause was making his speech, my lord Innocent—­whether by a shot from the camp of the giant, or from some qualm that suddenly took him, or whether by the stinking breath of that treacherous villain, old Ill-pause, for so I am most apt to think—­sunk down in the place where he stood still, nor could he be brought to life again.

Now, these brave men being dead, what do the rest of the townsfolk but fall down and yield obedience to Diabolus, and having eaten of the forbidden fruit, they become drunk therewith, and so opened both Eargate and Eyegate, and let in Diabolus and all his band, quite forgetting their good Shaddai and his law.

Diabolus now bethinks himself of remodelling the town for his greater security, setting up one and putting down another at pleasure.  Wherefore he put out of power and place my lord mayor, whose name was my lord Understanding, and Mr. Recorder, whose name was Mr. Conscience.  But my lord Will-be-will, a man of great strength, resolution, and courage, resolved to bear office under Diabolus, who, perceiving the willingness of my lord to serve him forthwith, made him captain of the castle, governor of the walls, and keeper of the gates of Mansoul.  He also had Mr. Mind for his clerk.