23.11.2018 Views

The Holy War – John Bunyan

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>The</strong>n said the court unto him, Hast thou any more to say?<br />

Evil. Yes, quoth the old gentleman, that I have; for all that as yet has<br />

been said against me, is but by the mouth of one witness, and it is not lawful<br />

for the famous town of Mansoul, at the mouth of one witness to put any man<br />

to death.<br />

Dilig. <strong>The</strong>n stood forth Mr. Diligence, and said, 'My Lord, as I was upon<br />

my watch such a night, at the head of Bad Street in this town, I chanced to<br />

hear a muttering within this gentleman's house; then thought I what is to do<br />

here? So I went up close, but very softly to the side of the house, to listen,<br />

thinking, as indeed it fell out, that there I might light upon some Diabolonian<br />

conventicle.[20] So, as I said, I drew nearer and nearer, and when I was got<br />

up close to the wall, it was but a while before I perceived that there were outlandish<br />

men in the house; but I did well understand their speech, for I have<br />

been a traveller myself. Now hearing such language in such a tottering<br />

cottage as this old gentleman dwelt in, I clapt mine ear to a hole in the<br />

window, and there heard them talk as followeth. This old Mr. Questioning<br />

asked these Doubters what they were, whence they came, and what was their<br />

business in these parts? And they told[21] him to all these questions, yet he<br />

did entertain them. He also asked what numbers there were of them, and they<br />

told him ten thousand men. He then asked them why they made no more<br />

manly assault upon Mansoul? And they told him; so he called their general<br />

coward for marching off when he should have fought for his Prince. Further,<br />

this old Evil-questioning wished, and I heard him wish, Would all the ten<br />

thousand Doubters were now in Mansoul, and himself in the head of them.<br />

He bid them also to take heed and lie quat, for if they were taken they must<br />

die, although they had heads of gold.<br />

<strong>The</strong>n said the court, Mr. Evil-questioning, here is now another witness<br />

against you, and his testimony is full: 1. He swears that you did receive these<br />

319

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!