The Holy War – John Bunyan

places in Mansoul; and that Mr. Affection was made my Lord Will-be-will's
deputy in his most rebellious affairs. Yea, said the messenger, this monster,
Lord Will-be-will, has openly disavowed his King Shaddai, and hath horribly
given his faith and plighted his troth to Diabolus.[2]
'Also,' said the messenger, 'besides all this, the new king, or rather
rebellious tyrant, over the once famous, but now perishing, town of Mansoul,
has set up a Lord Mayor and a Recorder of his own. For Mayor, he has set up
one Mr. Lustings, and for Recorder, Mr. Forget-good; two of the vilest of all
the town of Mansoul.' This faithful messenger also proceeded, and told what
a sort of new burgesses Diabolus had made, also that he had builed several
strong forts, towers, and strongholds in Mansoul. He told too, the which I
had almost forgot, how Diabolus had put the town of Mansoul into arms, the
better to capacitate them on his behalf to make resistance against Shaddai
their king, should he come to reduce them to their former obedience.
Now this tidings-teller did not deliver his relation of things in private,
but in open court, the King and his Son, high lords, chief captains, and
nobles, being all there present to hear. But by that they had heard the whole
of the story, it would have amazed one to have seen, had he been there to
behold it, what sorrow and grief, and compunction of spirit, there was among
all sorts, to think that famous Mansoul was now taken; only the King, and his
Son foresaw all this long before, yea, and sufficiently provided for the relief
of Mansoul, though they told not everybody thereof. Yet, because they also
would have a share in condoling of the misery of Mansoul, therefore they
also did, and that at a rate of the highest degree, bewail the losing of
Mansoul. The King said plainly, 'That it grieved him at his heart,' and you
may be sure that his Son was not a whit behind him (Gen 6:5,6). Thus gave
they conviction to all about them, that they had love and compassion for the
famous town of Mansoul. Well, when the King and his Son were retired into
the privy-chamber, there they again consulted about what they had designed
before, to wit, that as Mansoul should in time be suffered to be lost, so as
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