Now, those that went out against the doubters drew up into a body before the plain, and marched on to bid them battle. But the doubters, remembering their last success, made a retreat, not daring to stand the shock, but fled from the Prince’s men; wherefore they pursued them, and in their pursuit slew many, but they could not catch them all. Now those that escaped went some of them home; and the rest by fives, nines, and seventeens, like wanderers, went straggling up and down the country, where they upon the barbarous people showed and exercised many of their Diabolonian actions: nor did these people rise up in arms against them, but suffered themselves to be enslaved by them. They would also after this show themselves in companies before the town of Mansoul, but never to abide in it; for if Captain Credence, Captain Good-Hope, or Captain Experience did but show themselves, they fled.
Those that went out against the blood-men did as they were commanded: they forbore to slay any, but sought to compass them about. But the blood-men, when they saw that no Emmanuel was in the field, concluded also that no Emmanuel was in Mansoul; wherefore they, looking upon what the captains did to be, as they called it, a fruit of the extravagancy of their wild and foolish fancies, rather despised them than feared them. But the captains, minding their business, at last did compass them round; they also that had routed the doubters came in amain to their aid: so, in fine, after some little struggling, (for the blood-men also would have run for it, only now it was too late; for though they are mischievous and cruel, where they can overcome, yet all blood-men are chicken-hearted men, when they once come to see themselves matched and equalled,)—so the captains took them, and brought them to the Prince.
Now when they were taken, had before the Prince, and examined, he found them to be of three several counties, though they all came out of one land.
1. One sort of them came out of Blind-man-shire, and they were such as did ignorantly what they did.
2. Another sort of them came out of Blind-zeal-shire, and they did superstitiously what they did.
3. The third sort of them came out of the town of Malice, in the county of Envy, and they did what they did out of spite and implacableness.
For the first of these, namely, they that came out of Blind-man-shire, when they saw where they were, and against whom they had fought, they trembled and cried, as they stood before him; and as many of these as asked him mercy, he touched their lips with his golden sceptre.
They that came out of Blind-zeal-shire, they did not as their fellows did; for they pleaded that they had a right to do what they did, because Mansoul was a town whose laws and customs were diverse from all that dwelt thereabouts. Very few of these could be brought to see their evil; but those that did, and asked mercy, they also obtained favour.
Now, they that came out of the town of Malice, that is in the county of Envy, they neither wept, nor disputed, nor repented, but stood gnawing their tongues before him for anguish and madness, because they could not have their will upon Mansoul. Now these last, with all those of the other two sorts that did not unfeignedly ask pardon for their faults,—those he made to enter into sufficient bond to answer for what they had done against Mansoul, and against her King, at the great and general assizes to be holden for our Lord the King, where he himself should appoint for the country and kingdom of Universe. So they became bound each man for himself, to come in, when called upon, to answer before our Lord the King for what they had done as before.
And thus much concerning this second army that was sent by Diabolus to overthrow Mansoul.