登陆注册
19631900000078

第78章 Part 7(13)

Then said the Secretary to them, 'What petition is it that you would have me draw up for you?' But they said, 'Our Lord knows best the state and condition of the town of Mansoul;and how we are backslidden and degenerated from the Prince: thou also knowest who is come up to war against us, and how Mansoul is now the seat of war. My Lord knows, moreover, what barbarous usages our men, women, and children have suffered at their hands; and how our homebred Diabolonians do walk now with more boldness than dare the townsmen in the streets of Mansoul. Let our Lord therefore, according to the wisdom of God that is in him, draw up a petition for his poor servants to our Prince Emmanuel.' 'Well,' said the Lord Secretary, 'I will draw up a petition for you, and will also set my hand thereto.' Then said they, 'But when shall we call for it at the hands of our Lord?' But he answered, 'Yourselves must be present at the doing of it; yea, you must put your desires to it. True, the hand and pen shall be mine, but the ink and paper must be yours; else how can you say it is your petition? Nor have I need to petition for myself, because I have not offended.' He also added as followeth: 'No petition goes from me in my name to the Prince, and so to his Father by him, but when the people that are chiefly concerned therein do join in heart and soul in the matter, for that must be inserted therein.'

So they did heartily agree with the sentence of the Lord, and a petition was forthwith drawn up for them. But now, who should carry it? that was next. But the Secretary advised that Captain Credence should carry it; for he was a well-spoken man. They therefore called for him, and propounded to him the business. 'Well,' said the captain, 'I gladly accept of the motion; and though I am lame, I will do this business for you with as much speed, and as well as I can.'

The contents of the petition were to this purpose 'O our Lord, and Sovereign Prince Emmanuel, the potent, the long-suffering Prince! grace is poured into thy lips, and to thee belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against thee. We, who are no more worthy to be called thy Mansoul, nor yet fit to partake of common benefits, do beseech thee, and thy Father by thee, to do away our transgressions. We confess that thou mightest cast us away for them; but do it not for thy name's sake: let the Lord rather take an opportunity, at our miserable condition, to let out his bowels and compassions to us. We are compassed on every side, Lord; our own backslidings reprove us; our Diabolonians within our town fright us; and the army of the angel of the bottomless pit distresses us. Thy grace can be our salvation, and whither to go but to thee we know not.

'Furthermore, O gracious Prince, we have weakened our captains, and they are discouraged, sick, and, of late, some of them grievously worsted and beaten out of the field by the power and force of the tyrant. Yea, even those of our captains, in whose valour we did formerly use to put most of our confidence, they are as wounded men. Besides, Lord, our enemies are lively, and they are strong; they vaunt and boast themselves, and do threaten to part us among themselves for a booty. They are fallen also upon us, Lord, with many thousand doubters, such as with whom we cannot tell what to do; they are all grim-looked and unmerciful ones, and they bid defiance to us and thee.

'Our wisdom is gone, our power is gone, because thou art departed from us; nor have we what we may call ours but sin, shame, and confusion of face for sin. Take pity upon us, OLord, take pity upon us, thy miserable town of Mansoul, and save us out of the hands of our enemies. Amen.'

This petition, as was touched afore, was handed by the Lord Secretary, and carried to the court by the brave and most stout Captain Credence. Now he carried it out at Mouth-gate, (for that, as I said, was the sally-port of the town,) and he went and came to Emmanuel with it. Now how it came out, I do not know; but for certain it did, and that so far as to reach the ears of Diabolus. Thus I conclude, because that the tyrant had it presently by the end, and charged the town of Mansoul with it, saying, 'Thou rebellious and stubborn-hearted Mansoul, I will make thee to leave off petitioning.

Art thou yet for petitioning? I will make thee to leave.'

Yea, he also knew who the messenger was that carried the petition to the Prince, and it made him both to fear and rage.

Wherefore he commanded that his drum should be beat again, a thing that Mansoul could not abide to hear: but when Diabolus will have his drum beat, Mansoul must abide the noise. Well, the drum was beat, and the Diabolonians were gathered together.

Then said Diabolus, 'O ye stout Diabolonians, be it known unto you, that there is treachery hatched against us in the rebellious town of Mansoul; for albeit the town is in our possession, as you see, yet these miserable Mansoulians have attempted to dare, and have been so hardy as yet to send to the court to Emmanuel for help. This I give you to understand, that ye may yet know how to carry it to the wretched town of Mansoul. Wherefore, O my trusty Diabolonians, I command that yet more and more ye distress this town of Mansoul, and vex it with your wiles, ravish their women, deflower their virgins, slay their children, brain their ancients, fire their town, and what other mischief you can; and let this be the reward of the Mansoulians from me, for their desperate rebellions against me.'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 废都后院:道不尽的贾平凹

    废都后院:道不尽的贾平凹

    贾平凹不再是一个简单的名称和符号,他已经成为一种现象和潮流。贾平凹以独特的文学风格,旺盛的创作活力,轰动的社会效应,一次又一次地证实着他在中国文坛的巨大影响。他的长篇小说《浮躁》和《废都》,不仅在国内引起诸多关注和争议,而且得到世界文坛的赞誉和肯定。
  • 为君解罗裳:妖女倾天下

    为君解罗裳:妖女倾天下

    这东南国,谁人不知,谁人不晓,这要嫁的王爷,是传说中的暴君,杀人不眨眼,嗜血成狂的一个魔君的?圣旨一下,要千家的女儿嫁给东南国国的这个平南王爷,千家一听,仿佛是立马炸开了锅一样的,你不愿意去,我不愿意去,自然,就是由这个痴儿傻儿嫁过去了?
  • 东子的那个夏天

    东子的那个夏天

    那个夏天,东子因为一时意气签了两份协议,从此改变了他的一生,他的一生从此与众不同。
  • 谢谢你曾经爱过我

    谢谢你曾经爱过我

    丈夫出轨继姐,害我父母,还联合把我卖给一个男人。为了报复,我和魔鬼做了交易。听说,那是江城踩一脚都会震三震的男人,在我落难之时,他伸出手,问我,“要报仇吗?”我交付了自己的身,沦陷了自己的心。我以为,只要好好守护这段爱情,会守得云开见月明的时候,才知道,原来……一场精心的阴谋,对着电话里头的人,我笑道,“慕怀瑾,我不再爱你了!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 房屋建筑学作业集

    房屋建筑学作业集

    《房屋建筑学》是土木工程专业的主干课程之一, 是一门理论性、实践性很强的专业课。本作业集以《房屋建筑学》教材为主线, 结合作者多年的教学经验和成果, 编写了多种典型习题及模拟考试题, 旨在帮助学生抓住课程重点, 巩固和提高学生解题和应试能力。
  • 凤凰涅槃:绝世狂妃

    凤凰涅槃:绝世狂妃

    九千年的等待……稚嫩的童颜……少女的泪水。她是月紫翎,23世纪‘红羽’。也是让慕幽世界震撼的战神,亦是他等了九千年的妻子。他说:“等到了你,就不会在放手!”她冷笑:“九千年的情缘,早已消失!”
  • 邪武御天

    邪武御天

    天洲大陆,风云再起。龙鼎现世,谁主沉浮。
  • 婚然天成:唐少的闪婚萌妻

    婚然天成:唐少的闪婚萌妻

    订婚前夕,她闺蜜陷害,被送入“地痞流氓”的房里。不曾想,那人居然是唐氏财团的总裁,她名义上的“姐夫”。订婚那天,闺蜜挑拨,她被当场退婚,是他出现带走了她。他说:沈洛,呆在我身边,我可以给你无尽的尊荣和宠爱。可是为什么到最后,伤她最深的也是他?
  • On the Soul

    On the Soul

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大城小郭

    大城小郭

    郭恬然大学时在道馆兼职当跆拳道教练金妍儿大学时是个十足的宅女两个生活轨迹完全不一样的人还是相遇了后来还有了爱情的小结晶……